Djose Days
by BE-Mistress
Summary: 24 year old Gippal loses more than money when the Machine Faction goes into debt. RikkuGippal.
1. Better Back

A/N: Fairly new to the FFX/X2 game world, so I apologize if I get anything wrong. Feel free to correct me.

Gawhhh screw homework for now;I need to write LOL. This story will be chaptered. This time, I really, really want to finish a chaptered fic. I'm not sure if I want to upload in mini-bits (which would mean more updates) or huge chunks (would mean one update per month-ish). Anyway, I hope you'll all like this so far ) Might get confusing with the beginning flashback.

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**Djose Days**_  
_Ch. 1: Better Back

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_She gently closes the door of her former room before turning around to face me, forcing out a weak smile that she only forced whenever I told her I had other… things to do. And so this time there's a bit of understanding in her smile, just like all the rest, because she knows there's some truth to it now. _

_The air is thick around us, and the temple quiet. With a shaky hand, she runs her fingers through her caramel-coloured highlights before setting them back down on the handle of her packed bag. Her mouth is quivering, holding back a flood of emotions that she knows will spill uncontrollably if she dares utter a word. And emotion is the last thing she wants me to see from her._

_I frown awkwardly. I always hate these moments. Firing them was one thing, the goodbye part was what really sucked, because then they know you're really serious. And then they realize that you and them weren't really ever serious. And that you just aren't the kind of guy that gets involved and committed and really serious. And that you're just a faction leader that needs some form of entertainment once in a while. And entertainers are never really taken seriously._

_She bites her lip inwardly, turning to look me in the eye and nodding subtly. "It was nice working with you," she says in an unusually soft voice. _

_I nod back clumsily. She was always my favourite. And now she was my last one left._

_Her eyes shift uneasily, and she suddenly places her palm against my chest, momentarily silent as she carefully chooses her words. "I would stay, you know… You know that… But I have to – you know I gotta – I just can't…"_

_I clasp my hand over hers and shush her with a small laugh. "Yeah, I know," I say quietly. "I can't keep you here."_

"_And I _can't _stay here."_

_And then we're silent again as the same question that's been eluding us for days now finally returns, waiting for an answer that neither of us can give. It would've never worked between us anyway._

_She swings her bag over her shoulder, letting the question go astray again. "I have a long journey ahead." She ties her caramel-coloured hair into a loose bun, pulling the hood of her sweater over her head as she looks past me and at the open doors of the temple that were revealing the overcast skies outside. "And it might rain soon." _

_I step aside so she can walk past, and stare at her retreating figure as her footsteps echo rhythmically throughout the empty temple. Then she suddenly stops, and turns and balls her fists to keep her defensive barrier up. "I-I can't visit you, you know that?" _

_I know. _

"_And it's not because I don't want to it's just… Well, you understand."_

_I understand._

"_It's just… better. Right?" She pauses. "…B-Better," she whispers again. And then she turns around and continues her shaky walk out. Hood over her head, bag on her small shoulders. Walking out with her last paycheque, her last forced smile, and a piece of me that no one else has been able to take away. _

_Selyna. It's for the better, babygirl._

**- - - - -**

Gippal

A throbbing pain streams throughout my arm as I twist my hand out of the mouth of the raging machine before clobbering it to death with my wrench. I kick it senselessly even after that, shaking my reddened arm with grumbling curses. There's no possible way I can fix the piece of junk without the fourth shipment. No fucking way. And I need to. I need to get _something_ fixed. And _something_ sold. And _something_ paid because there's a conference next month. And I hate rumours.

The machine suddenly revives itself, getting up on its two rusty legs and wobbling psychopathically around the temple floor like a headless fiend. It stumbles into a column a few seconds later and collapses after a fountain of electric sparks erupts from its back, followed by a faint whirring as its motor dies down once again.

The temple is silent; vacant, hollow, and empty. And I try to remember the last time there were actually people – hired people – that crowded the now bare rooms.

My ears perk at the sound of footsteps amidst the raindrops outside, and I turn to look out at the open temple doors for a sign of life. A small figure stands confused on the cobblestone steps, bag in hand. I immediately drop my tools on the ground, pulling off my grease-stained goggles and walk towards the door. I hear the distant buzzing of the reviving machine behind me.

"Is anyone here?" asks the person.

I raise my hand as I step out of the shadows of the temple and into the dim blue light. "Gippal," I say, looking at the man. A badge featuring Rin's standard postal delivery service logo is sewed on the man's shirt. I smile, crossing my arms across my chest and leaning on the frame of the door. "You have something for me?"

The man hands the stack of bills to me, biting his lip in sympathy. He doesn't say anymore, and simply leaves into the rain, boarding his company hover and driving to his next destination.

I feel my deranged machine poke at my leg from behind, its motor spinning with an unusual hum. Kicking it aside, I slump down and sit on the temple steps with a heavy sigh. Rain soaks through my pants and trails down my forehead into my mouth. I flip through the envelopes.

_Tye._

I stare at the innocent white envelope, knowing exactly what was in it. How much was he offering now? Eighty, ninety thousand? I can buy a house in Luca with that kind of money, or like, four-thousand tents in Bikanel. Get myself a new set of tools and a new set of wheels for my airship. A new hover. Maybe even a pool. A big pool. One of those figure-eight pools. With a fish.

Or stay here.

I hear the machine crawling back to me, its steps, more disorientated than Cid's Girl when she's had a little too much to drink. I flip through the rest of the envelopes.

_Tye._

_Rin._

_Tye._

_BIG SALE_ _AT OAKA'S!_

_Tye._

_Tye._

_BIGGER SALE_ _AT RIN'S!_

_Blitzball Game of the Year!_

_Tye._

Blank

I flip the envelope around, checking the back for any return address. Only my name and the temple's address are written in flawless purple cursive on the front of the otherwise blank envelope. I smirk, almost seeing _her_ face traced out by the dark purple ink. It's been a while.

The machine falls backwards on itself and croaks.

I stand up, walking back inside as I tear the edge of the envelope and shake the letter out. I unfold it as I make my way up the stairs and toward my room. Inside, the letter is blank.

But the paper feels smooth and thick between my fingers. She used expensive paper this time - she's doing well and making money. There's a smudge on the edge, making the printed abstract designs on the paper blur in a mixture of blues and oranges. Teardrops – she misses me. I tilt the paper, narrowing my eye to look closely at its surface reflection. There are long scratch marks across it - she's not ready to talk to me yet.

I open the door to my room, turning on the lights and taking out the envelope, checking the stamp. _Luca Stadium._ I pause, my eye mindlessly staring outside at the rainy weather. Behind me, the wandering machine crashes into the door.

I put the letter back inside the envelope before opening my bottom drawer. I throw the envelope in, along with the other dozen blank letters safely lying inside. I close the drawer, pick up the dead machine and throw it over my shoulder as I walk down the empty temple steps.

I've always wanted a pool.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

A cool breeze from the window nips at my shoulder, and I shiver slightly as my mind begins to regain consciousness of my surroundings. My legs feel warm and cozy underneath the thick comforter, my cold shoulder impulsively dipping underneath it as well. A stifled yawn creeps up from the back of my throat and rolls out of my mouth smoothly, and I moan as my head sinks into the squishy pillow.

And then I suddenly freeze. There's someone's foot in my face.

Turning my wide-awake head to the side, I realize it belongs to a man I don't know. A snoring, younger man with one arm over the side of the bed and another draped over another man beside him. Both in the bed. With me.

And then I suddenly feel quite bare.

And I remember, with a groan I remember the party. And I remember the dancing. And the booze. And the dirty old man who wouldn't leave me alone. And the hot, handsome hunk who I could never catch alone. And the loud, blasting music, and the "_Rikku, tyrd ayo tehi zecg yod yr li!_" and the "_Ayo piddih cumdir dy nul, Mum._" And of course the, "_U'l yct iryokn dy legi la yzr tisumuyrm!_" And that's about it.

My hands run over my thigh, and I realize something's missing. But it's only my skirt – which is better than losing _everything_, but not as good as _having_ everything. Rubbing the tiredness out of my eyes and letting out a nasty breath of stale beer, I gently slide out of the bed and trot over the multiple people lying strewn across the floor, asleep. Unfortunately, I spot my thief skirt stuck in between a couple, quite tightly wedged in. With a nervous yank, I manage to pull it out, slip it on, and run out of the room, only tripping over a couple of tables and chairs once or twice.

The rest of the foreign apartment is a mess. Empty red plastic cups littered all over the ground. Clothes hanging off places they shouldn't be. Every piece of furniture twisted and rearranged in the strangest way.

Checking my hair in the mirror, I make my way to the door, struggle to find my boots, and leave the apartment quietly before someone wakes up and reminds me _how_ exactly I lost my skirt last night.

The hallway is quiet, and I see a bright stream of light around the corner. With a skip in my step, I scamper through and out the glass doors, suddenly dizzy and blinded by the sunlight. And surprised to find myself – oh, yeah. In Luca.

My mouth still tastes nasty and dry. I reach into my back pocket, checking to see how much money I have on me.

_One_.

Hmm. Let's check that again.

_One. _Not one thousand. Not one hundred. But one. One single gil coin. Crap. Some great runaway plan that was. Pops would die of laughter if I told him I had marched out all smug and arrogant and bratty, with only one gil in my pocket. But he doesn't have to know. I just won't tell him. I can live with just _one_.

After rinsing the bad taste off my tongue from the (free) water fountain, my stomach begins to growl in anger. For a moment, I contemplate walking off to Mi'ihen Highroad, catching myself a fiend or two and roasting it over a daytime campfire. But a hamburger sounds so much better.

There's a local restaurant nearby so I walk in, take a seat next to the shyest looking male waiter by the counter, and bat my eyelashes excessively, making constant remarks about his strong, buff arms as I place my order. He tells me it's on him.

I spend the rest of the day hiking along Mi'ihen Highroad, finding myself about 70 gil… like, dropped on the ground… By the evening I've arrived at one of Rin's inns, and the manager there promises to pay me 80 gil an hour if I stand by the door and convince late night travelllers with my oh so charming ways to stay. He eventually offers me a bed… in his room… But I decline, telling him my 300 pound boyfriend wouldn't like that. He fires me soon after.

With 190 gil in my pocket, I take off on the road again. There's nobody I want to see in Luca. And I defintely won't be able to travel far on foot anywhere else. With my traditional companions having long separated and leading their own lives, there's only so few familiar faces I see nowadays.

I find a cracked sphere buried behind a rock as I walk, and I place it my belt pocket safely. When it begins to rain, I find shelter in a small cave. It's a bit scary, so I sit by the edge, so near that the raindrops splatter all over me. But I need the shower anyway, I pretty much stink.

The wind gnaws at my skin, and I rub my limbs roughly, trying to recreate the warmth of the thick comforter. But I give up a while later, and simply resort to pulling my legs close to my chest to retain as much body heat as possible.

Maybe I should visit Gippal tomorrow. Trick him into thinking there's somehting wrong with one of his 'machines', and make him pay me to fix it for him. Haven't talked to the guy in quite a while. It'd be nice to see a familiar face.

I flinch as a crash of thunder makes the cliff wobble, and for a moment I think the cave is going to collapse on me. But it holds until morning, when I wake and find myself staring into a pair of gorgeous auburn eyes.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

I wipe the sweat off my forehead with the back of my hand before crouching down underneath the airship and screwing in the final bolt. My head hits a metal pipe as I pull out, and I stumble backwards, tripping over the little psychotic machine and falling on the ground with a thud. It bounces back in reply, as if laughing at me.

For nearly 24 hours now, it has been spontaneously reviving itself more times than Seymour. And there's nothing I can do about it because I can't throw it away; it is still fixable, with the fourth shipment of new parts. If Tye actually gives me those parts.

It suddenly whirrs, and then dies again. And I ignore it, getting up and tossing my screwdriver into the metal toolbox as I make my way towards the entrance of the temple once more. And still, it's quiet.

My excavation crew hasn't arrived yet from the Moonflow. And I don't know what to think. Either they're still searching, or couldn't find anything and are on their way back. _Anything_. And that means more _cup-of-noodles_ for tonight.

My eye lands on the pile of unopened envelopes by the door, Tye's fingerprints all over them. The machine revives from behind me, and slips across the grease stained floor when it tries to walk. I sit down, forcing myself to open one of the letters. I skim through it for the number.

_Eighty-five thousand._

I tear the paper in half, crumpling it up and throwing it outside. The machine jabs me from behind for littering.

I tear open another envelope, and this time it's seventy-eight thousand. Then, eighty-two thousand, then ninety-one thousand. I don't rip the ninety-one thousand offer.

The machine convulses again, wobbling pass me and down the cobblestone steps before rolling over, clunking down, and landing in the sand, motionless. It makes me laugh a bit.

I stuff the letter into my pocket, walking down the steps and picking the machine up. It revives at my touch, scurrying away before crashing, yet again, into a large rock. I watch it in amusement as it tries to restart its system again. I decide to name it _Nooj_.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

He slides his slippery fingers all around my waist, pulling me closer and closer toward him. In his grip, I feel slimy. And sticky. And _really_ uncomfortable. I tell him he should let go now – that my 300 pound boyfriend lives here in Djose and has a very, very bad temper. But Auburn Boy doesn't care, saying he was a former Crusader, and can fight off anything. I tell him my father is Cid, leader of the Al Bhed. But Auburn Boy doesn't care, saying fathers always had a tendency to like him. So I tell him I like girls, and he quickly leaves me alone.

Djose's town is quite small, but it's a lot less lonely than Mushroom Rock Road. I buy myself a large ice-cream sundae with sprinkles and tropical bananas from Kilika, eating it all in four fantastically fun minutes! With only 90 gil left in my pocket, I spend it all on chocolate shaped chocobo from a nearby candy shop.

As I try to figure out a way to Djose Temple from the town, a large crowd outside a store catches my attention. Upon closer observation, I realize that it's just a sale of some sort, and am about to pass it up when a funny looking piece of machine reveals itself from behind the crowd. _A sale on machina parts_! How brilliant and rare is that!

So now the chocobo tastes bitter in my mouth, and I frown, knowing I can't afford a single thing even if it is at a ridiculously low price. I should've brought some money with me when I left New Home. Dammit. Or like, had a smaller sized ice cream bowl…

I peek at the merchandise anyway, and it just kills me to see the residents of Djose clamber through the prices, stickers pasted all over saying "75 off" and "Buy 1 get one FREE!" I groan, glancing around the area for any sign of the manager.

I think I spot him inside, standing by the counter and giving orders to the cashier. Smoothing down my hair and subtly pushing down my skirt, I slowly walk through the door, letting out a soft, disappointed moan as I stare at the shelves of machina commodities. I get his attention immediately.

"Excuse me, y-you're L-Lady Rikku?"

"Yes, I am she." I look over at him with a pout, and then let out an exasperated sigh. "Oh, good sir, I was just admiring all the lovely products in your fine store here. And I'm just absolutely appalled with myself for forgetting my wallet at home." I lean against the counter, watching as his eyes shift downward. "Do you think I can get the items I need today, and pay you back some other time?" I tilt my head to the side cutely. "I promise…"

He nods clumsily; asking me what exactly was I looking for. And that I could have anything I wanted, absolutely free of charge – considering I was a former two-time world-hero after all. I race outside excitedly, squeezing through the customers, and glancing at all the boxes with eager eyes. Impatiently, I grab the biggest box of merchandise – a box labelled with the number "4" – and bring it back inside to show the manager.

"Thank you so much, Sir," I tell him sweetly. "I'll never forget your kindness."

He laughs whole-heartedly, his cheeks turning pink with glee. "Just call me Tye," he says.

"Okie dokie!' I say, waving him goodbye before leaving the store. Outside, I run into a nice old lady who shows me the path to follow to get to Djose Temple. I carry the box with me up the hill, thinking of a reasonable price to sell it to my old-time pal.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

I wake up in the middle of the afternoon upon hearing the soft humming of the Faction's airship. My mind is so exhausted, and my arms and legs requiring a much needed rest. Sleep is so tempting, but there's no time for it now.

With a groan, I pull myself out of bed, stepping over dead Nooj, and scratching my bare chest absent-mindedly as I focus my ears intently on the sound of my worker's voices entering the temple.

I open my bedroom door and step out to lean on the banister, waiting with a sickening feeling of anxiety. False hope sitting in my stomach, taunting me in Tye's voice and making me think that this is the one. That this is the discovery that's gonna pull us out of debt. But the handful of workers enter the dimly lit temple in silence, and empty handed. Each one more depressed than the next. And I don't even need to tell them, because they all know that for at least one of them, this'll be their last night here.

Cursing under my breath, I throw on a T-shirt and get back down to work.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

Not _all_ old women are wise, y'know.

I give one final grunt as I lift the heavy box over the small cliff and shove it aside so I can climb on. Once stabilized and standing tall, I pick out the leaves and branches stuck in my hair and toss them on the ground. I finally see the temple after what feels like walking in circles a dozen times; at least, I'm pretty sure it is. It's a lot… more dead looking than I remember it to be. But I move towards it anyway, groggily pushing the box along the rough dirt path as I go.

The large entrance doors are wide open, revealing a deep dark hollow blackness that extends all the way inside the temple. I raise my eyebrow curiously, wondering why Gippal didn't turn on the lights in the place – and where's all the crackling lightning anyway?

Picking up the box tiredly, I climb the steps and walk into the temple freely. At first I think it must be some holiday or something, because there's _no one_ at all in the large, vacant room. But I can't think of any – unless it's Gippal's birthday or something and he's being his conceited self and had demanded that people deserved a holiday on his special day.

A loud slam of the door from the left side of the room startles me, and I drop the box suddenly on the ground. I look in the direction of the door, but can't make out a distinguishable figure.

"Who's there?" the figure asks, and I'm instantly at ease.

I cock my head to the side, impulsively brushing down my tangled hair. "Gippal?" I say, a little too much joy in my voice than I had planned.

He hesitates for a moment before stepping out of the shadows and greeting me with a smug grin. "Haha, hey Cid's Girl." His words a bit slurred and smooth and just how I remember it. "Long time no see, Kid. Wha'cha doing here?"

I open my mouth to speak, but his face is suddenly frozen solid and his eye fixed on the ground at my feet.

His voice is serious. "What's that?"

I look down at the box. "Oh – Well, I was just going to ask you if you -"

He kneels down, looking inside it, inspecting all the parts. "Where'd you get it from?"

"Well, you see, I was in Luca -"

"Luca?"

"Yes, Luca. And then this big fiend began to attack this boy with nasty auburn eyes -"

"Fiend?"

"Big fiend."

"Big?"

"Huge. Anyway -"

"You killed it?"

"Totally did. And the boy -"

"Thanked you."

"Yes, with this box of machina parts!" I giggle softly, shaking my head in disbelief. "Isn't that just the strangest thing? And since I don't really have any use for it and you're the 'Ma_chine_ Faction' and all, I'm willing to let you buy it off me for a reasonable price!"

He stares at me, arms crossed and leaning against one of the temple's columns. He studies the look on my face, and then the container labelled 'Four' on the ground. His mouth slightly parted, and his eyebrows slightly narrowed. And he goes, "Ah, huh…" before reaching down, taking the box of machina, and then walking away.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

I'm suddenly slammed quite harshly into the wall – more than I deserve, I believe – and the box falls out of my hands with a loud clank to the ground. My mind is numb for a while as I shake the collision out of my system, blinking several times to refocus my thoughts. In the meanwhile, she has already given me a whirlwind of foul words and phrases in our native tongue. I wince slightly as I turn to look at her, eyes narrowed and finger shaking at me as if she were my mother. It takes a couple of seconds for her words to actually register in my head.

"…know stealing is a _bad_ thing to do!" she shouts.

I raise my eyebrow at her.

She withdraws her pointed finger in realization, giving me a final scowl before bending down and picking up the box, ready to march out of the temple in her typical '_Miss-Thing'_ fashion. "At least, being a former guardian, I gave something back in return," she mumbles.

I scoff. "Like what? Gonorrhoea?"

She snaps back around, eyes igniting with rage and disgust. Her body is shaking noticeably, but she tries to control it, wanting her stare to break me down first before her fists. "You're a bastard," she simply says, turning back around and heading toward the doors. The box tightly held in her arms and her head sunken low like a wilted flower.

I don't watch her. Turning around, I head back to my office desk, her footsteps echoing behind me in the hollowness of the room. I still can't get past the fact that Tye actually gave _my_ shipment away. I was his best customer for nearly five years, and Cid's Girl just strolls by once upon a fiend and gets it. That's just fucked up. But I don't worry about it too much. I know she'll be back.

**- - - - -**

It's midnight. And she's not back.

I lean against the door of the temple, letting out a loud groan as my leg lazily falls off the top step and rolls onto the next. The grease marks from my boots ooze cleanly off slowly, making the puddle beneath them black enough to hide in.

There's a light drizzle outside, and I start to wonder if she's somewhere safe. I can't help it; it's natural instinct to care whether or not the person with your goods is with them safely. I'm just surprised she didn't return after our little dispute.

I didn't mean to upset her, stupid kid. But it's not like it wasn't anything she's never heard before. What is she – like 23 now? And she's still her spastic, spoiled and skimpy seductive self. And it wasn't like what I said wasn't true. It would've been next to impossible for her to steal that entire box. And she doesn't have the kind of money to buy it. That dick gave it to her for _a reason_.

In the temple, Nooj tumbles down the stairwell.

And the Rikku I knew wouldn't have provided _that reason_. She would've stuck out her tongue, call the guy a few childish names, and then march out with dangerous determination to build her own whatchamacallit. But I haven't seen nor spoken to her in a while now, and it's quite clear that she has grown alternative ways of convincing fat old men.

I play with her slim figure in my mind for a bit – natural male instinct; her name has become synonymous with her body, and she knows, so s'all good. But it's quickly veiled by a curtain of shiny, smooth, silky, sweet-smelling caramel-coloured hair, and I suddenly want my pool again.

I get up and walk back inside. Nooj revives as I pass. She'll be back tomorrow.

Except that she isn't. And I think that she'll be back by the end of the week but she isn't. And I end up sitting on the front steps again a week later, midnight and rain, watching in surprise as my crew finally brings back something interesting. Hair damp and sticky, skin pale and blue, clothes tattered and dirty. And I take her from their arms, immediately inspecting her body for _any_ signs of mistreatment – like she was a valuable machine find, and deserved to be handled with care.

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_Thanks for reading. **Please Review.**_

Any updates will be on Mondays.


	2. Bitty Bit

A/N: Deep thanks to those who took their time to review. It's a little disappointing to compare "hit numbers" with "review numbers" and wonder what you did wrong that's not even worthy of comment lol.

I'm sorry for the confusion in the last chapter, but I normally don't like to openly state things as I feel it ruins the story. But since I understand now that it was quite hard to comprehend everything, this is what you should've got from last chapter: _Gippal had/has a 'girlfriend' who was also a worker at the temple, Selyna, whom he was forced to fire a few months ago after he couldn't afford to pay her wages. She sends him letters often, but is unable to bring herself to write anything in them. Tye is a rich business man, selling machine-related items/parts. Gippal had ordered goods from him earlier but Tye refused to give them to Gippal because he didn't have the money. Instead, Tye sold them off in a huge sale which Rikku just coincidently happened to come across. After Rikku's and Gippal's dispute, they didn't see each other for a week – until Gippal's crew found her and brought her back to the temple._

Everything else, I hope you understood lol. I've changed the title of the story as well. Hope you enjoy this chapter.

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**Djose Days**_  
_Ch. 2: Bitty Bit

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Rikku

There's no warm comforter this time. But there's a soft blanket over me, fuzzy and cozy. My back is stiff, and my neck feels wrongly bent. My arms feel heavy and my legs are numb and – _whoo_! What's that smell?

I carefully open an eye – just one – and scan the dark room. There's a shiver of light coming through the curtains, outlining barely enough for me to see. A couple of old leather chairs are by the wall, and a bookshelf is opposite them. A desk is at the far end of the room, and scattered gadgets and gizmos are here and there. Everything seems so familiar.

Then it hits me that this is not a cave in a mountain. In the rain. With nasty, nasty fiends. But that is where I remember last being. And that is where I should be. But I'm not. So where am – oh.

I spot _his_ large all-in-one gun leaning in the corner, and slight relief passes over me. At least it's someone I know and can like, talk to without worrying whether or not he's trying to get me into bed.

I sit up, pushing the blanket off of me and examining myself in the dimness of the room. My legs are chalky with dust – dried mud perhaps – as well as my arms and belly. I climb out of the long chair I'd been sleeping on, feeling the strap of my bikini top suddenly break apart completely. And I realize my clothes are quite damaged, dirty, and whoo… there's the smell.

I try to retie the knot, hoping to at least look a bit more presentable when I go down and have a little chitchat with Gippal. Or maybe I should just slip out; clean myself up and then come back. _Ooh_! Knowing him, he's probably gone and stolen and used my box of machina parts by now! Dammit.

The door suddenly opens and the lights flash on. I pale in embarrassment, standing a mess in the middle of the room, one hand cupping my breast and the other tangled around the thin yellow strap as he looks at me, and smirks.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

I snort. "And you're…?"

"It broke," she says flatly, ignoring my gaze and turning around to conceal herself. "How'd you guys find me?" she asks, still trying to tie her top on.

I stare at her bare back for a while before answering. "Found you dying of poison – smart thing to do, Kid. Didn't even have any antidotes on you. My crew had to bring you on board to treat you."

She grunts a bit, shaking her arms at her side to regain some blood flow in them before attempting the knot again. She turns her head just slightly toward me. "Well, please tell them thank you for me."

"They've already left for Zanarkand. They'll be back in a day or two." I push myself off the wall and walk toward her. She's intently concentrated on her bikini strap, not really noticing me. With a grin, I firmly place my hands on her shoulders, feeling her slightly shudder and straighten in surprise. Rubbing them gently, I lean in and whisper with a low voice into her ear, "Take off your clothes."

"_What_?" she blurts out immediately, ducking out of my grasp and giving me a furious glare. "Are you – what the hell's –"

"–'Cause there might be some traces of the fiends' poison still on them," I explain with a teasing smile. "The antidote's gonna wear off soon, and don't want you gettin' sick again." I chuckle, shoving her playfully as I turn away. "Hah. Y'got a dirty mind, Kid."

She doesn't know how to respond.

"And the bathroom's down the hall on the left. I think there's some detergent under the sink; you can hand-wash your own stuff." I look at her directly, brushing a hand by my nose. "And might as well take a shower, Cid's Girl. You kinda smell."

She frowns, narrowing her eyes. But I've left before she's gotten any words out of her mouth.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

The icy water pounds weakly against my back – actually, more so _trickling_ down my back. Feeble and cold, and I think Gippal must be pretty cheap to only provide his workers with this pathetic level of sanitation. I finish my shower quickly, not being able to stand the freezing temperature. When I push aside the bath curtain, I find a neatly folded towel placed on top of the sink counter, waiting for me. I'm a bit surprised – and offended – that he managed to slip in without me noticing.

I quickly wrap it around myself, appreciating what little warmth it had to offer, and then open the door, poking my head outside. "G-Gip-p-pal!" I call out, my voice a bit shaky from shivering.

No answer.

I wait a few seconds before calling him again, clearer this time. "Gippal! You have any clothes I can borrow?"

Still no answer.

Taking my newly washed, but still damp garments, I walk slowly out of the bathroom and down the hall, hand tightly grasping my towel. "Gippal!" I call out desperately. The sudden sound of his startled yelp and the clanking of metal leads me downstairs and into one of the temple's large rooms where I see him kneeling on the floor, examining his hand with frustrated grumbles. I hide myself slightly behind the door, before calling to him again.

He turns around, raising his eyebrow at my voice. "Yeah?"

"Can I borrow a shirt or something?" I ask as politely and modestly as possible.

He stands up, pulling off his gloves and goggles and heading towards me. "Sure."

I get nervous when he passes, my grip tightening. I can't help it, especially after his embarrassing comment earlier. And it's not hard for him to make another mean joke when I'm covered like this. But to my surprise, he only takes one quick look at me and my towel, and that's it. Like I was a man. And I'm a bit unsure on whether or not to feel offended.

I follow him back up the stairs where he leads me into his room. He bends down at one of his cabinets and pulls out a large faded green shirt. He hands it to me casually. "But I don't think any of my pants will fit you," he says.

I nod understandingly and thank him despite. I ask him if I can just toss my wet clothes in the dryer – but quickly add in an apologetic tone that I know it's just a few clothes and it seems like a waste of energy. He turns his eye elsewhere and hesitates before telling me that it just recently broke down. He says I can drape it on his chair by his desk if I'd like and wait for it to dry. I do so, and he leaves for me to change.

His shirt smells of a familiar machina smell, burnt and smoke and smothered with springtime laundry detergent. It's comfortable against my still cold skin, and for a second I feel as if I am his nightly mistress, having just woken up and showered and slipped into his shirt without any panties on. And admittedly, it's a fun thought, until I remember what he had said to me earlier and I shut my brain up.

It's a bit airy without any underwear on, but I won't mention it to him, because you just don't talk about your delicates with a _guy_. After stretching the shirt as far below my bum as possible, I slip on my boots and head back downstairs into the same room where I'd found him. This time, he's underneath a huge, strange looking machina, his legs sticking out from below and wiggling slightly. The temple is oddly quiet. I walk over toward him. "Where is everybody?" I ask.

He hesitates before answering. "Most of them are out excavating."

I twitch my mouth to the side, placing a hand against the frame of the machina and leaning on it. "Yeah but like, _no one's_ here."

He slides out from underneath and looks up at me, a bitty bit pissed, and I move away instantly. "They're out back. Look-" He stands up, brushing off his pants and throwing his wrench into the toolbox. "-my crew found you, treated you, and brought you here to safety. And I think you owe us something, Kid."

I flinch, sinking away at his sudden, selfish attitude. "Well… I'm sorry, but I don't have anything," I say, my mind thinking back to that one single gil coin still in my skirt pocket.

He takes a step toward me, looking dead into my eyes as he speaks. "What happened to that box of machine?"

"You didn't take it?"

"No."

I look away, trying to remember. "It must still be back by the cave. You know, where I was before you guys picked me up. Which, I don't remember asking to be 'saved'… so technically, I don't owe you guys anything!" I tell him confidently.

He completely ignores my outburst. "I want that box."

"Well, you're not gettin' it for free, Mister. I'll charge you 3500 gil."

He scoffs. "No way. You owe us."

"I owe you shit!"

He doesn't care. "I'm getting that box," he says determinedly before leaving the room.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

"You don't even know where to look!" she shouts after me, and I stop in my tracks, knowing she's right. With my crew in Zanarkand, I can't ask them where they found her, and there's no chance she's gonna tell me.

I turn around, looking at her smug self leaning on one leg, arms crossed and unknowingly lifting the edges of the shirt up. "3500 gil and I'll tell you," she says simply, sounding a lot like Tye.

I can't afford 3500 gil, so I ignore her and head toward the kitchen. I'll wait until my crew comes back, and then I'll go get it. I hear her trotting behind me, throwing offers one after another, but none of them reasonable enough. Finally, when we reach the kitchen, she slips in front of me and stops me from going further.

"Fine, 2500, my last offer," she says with a sickening sweet look in her eye. She bats her eyelashes excessively lifting one of her shoulders up and cocking her head toward it cutely.

"No."

She presses her hands against my chest as soon as I try to move, desperately wanting me to agree. "C'mon, what's 2500 gil to you? I'm giving you a fantastic deal here!"

"Why do you need the money so badly anyway?" I ask, brushing her hands off.

She looks away, pouting. "It's… complicated," she mumbles.

"Complicated?"

"Very."

"Wanna explain?"

"Can't explain."

""Cause?"

"Very complicated."

I absentmindedly brush my thumb against her cheek. "Just tell me, Kid."

It takes a while for her to reply. "I can't go back home," she tells me simply. "Got into a fight with Pops, and I can't go back home or else we're gonna fight again." She looks away, laughing stupidly. "And I left with just one gil in my pocket. And you can't buy much with that, y'know." Her voice is quiet and soft, and I feel a bit stupid for so easily believing her.

"Where have you been staying?" I ask.

She shrugs her shoulders plainly.

"Why didn't you just go to Yuna or Paine, or you know… one of your friends." I flinch a bit when I realize what my words meant I thought of her. "-other friends," I quickly add.

She doesn't answer, twitching her mouth to the side and rubbing her arms anxiously. "You're gonna give me 2500 gil or what?"

I narrow my eye. "How've you been eating?" I ask with a frown, feeling a bit angered and somewhat protective. "You better have stolen, Cid's Girl."

She snorts. "Why's that?"

I walk pass her, squeezing her side slightly. It's a while before she realizes what I mean.

"I'm not like that, Gippal," she says stiffly, balling her fists. "I have my self-respect."

I don't answer, pouring water into a kettle and heating it up on the stove. I fold my arms, leaning against the counter. "So where're you goin' to stay, Kid?"

"I dunno, I'll find an inn when you give me 2500 gil."

"Why don't you stay here?"

She looks up in surprise. "Here?"

"Yeah. I could use some help, and you're not a bad mechanic."

"How much will you pay me?"

"Nothing."

She drops her mouth in shock. "Forget it!"

"Hey, you'll be working to pay off for your stay here. Simple as that." I throw my arms in the air. "If you don't want it, then you can just go live off your one gil in the forest, Kid."

"That's unfair," she grumbles, placing her hands on her hips.

"Life's unfair, Kid."

She's quiet for a couple of minutes after that. The kettle sounds and I turn off the stove, pouring us both a cup of hot water. She's still contemplating when I give her the drink.

"Can I set some rules though?" she suddenly asks.

"Like what?"

"I get my own room."

"Done."

"You don't boss me around."

"Sometimes. You'll still be working for me, remember."

"But I can leave and come back whenever I want, when I'm on break. I don't have to check with you."

"Alright." I pause. "That's it?"

She thinks. "And you give me money for a new wardrobe."

I grimace, looking at her, dressed plainly in my shirt and I understand. But I don't tell her that. "If you give me that box of machine."

She's a bit taken back.

"You'll need clothes, Cid's Girl," I remind her.

"That box is worth a lot. I can sell it to someone else and buy my own clothes, y'know."

"Then why don't you? Go on. Get out."

She bites her lip, giving me a dirty look. "Why're you so mean?"

I laugh. "I'm not mean."

"Yes you are!" She grunts angrily, storming out of the kitchen. "You can have the stupid box, jackass."

**- - - - -**

Rikku 

I didn't realize that it was still early in the morning, a bit past breakfast and a bit before lunch. My stomach is growling in its usual manner – a bit of a sore that spreads throughout my insides, climbing up, and then churning downward. I have to bend over to minimize the ache.

It's a little nippy by the temple entrance, and my hair is still damp. My butt is still bare, and I'm shivering just a little bit. Just a little bit. Because being a little bit cold out here is definitely better than being a lot warm in _there_.

I glance over my shoulder a bit and wonder if he's followed me, but I don't see him. It's a tiny bit frustrating because I expect that he'd feel a lot guiltier after my outburst and absolutely declare to do anything to make it better. But I don't really know what to expect of him anymore. People change y'know.

A strange whirring erupts from behind me, and I turn around in surprise. A funny looking machina is wobbling around the center of the temple's central room, constantly tripping over its legs and flipping spastically. Suddenly, its head shoots up, and the machina freezes in place, only to be brought down to its knees a few seconds later when its motor dies.

I get up from the temple steps and skip inside, sliding across the floor before coming to rest by the funny machina. I pick it up gently, wondering if it is one of Gippal's creations or he had just found it. After a few minutes of tinkling with it, I' manage to tighten its joints and let it stand properly on its own two feet.

It spontaneously awakes, startling me as it stomps across the temple floor like an angry Chimera Brain toward the entrance. But then its torso begins buckling, and its head begins bobbing and a while later, it has crashed into a corner behind the temple doors, landing a mess on the ground as dozens of envelopes fly through the air like leaves in autumn.

Confused and amused, I jog toward it, pulling it out from underneath the pile of fallen envelopes, and lean it against the wall. I then gather the scattered letters, folding them neatly and then putting them neatly back in their place. Behind me, I hear the sound of approaching footsteps.

Gippal's at the door leading to the kitchen, a long, large, colourful steaming cup in one hand, and a juice box in the other. He looks at me by the pile of unread mail, and immediately anger flashes through his eye.

"I didn't do anything," I blurt out unconsciously, my arms flailing backward and I fall on my bum, staring at him. "T-The machina just started going crazy and I-I was just cleaning up… the mess…"

He looks at the dead machina by the wall, smirks, and then makes his way toward me. The angry expression on his face quickly evolves into an unusually warm smile – just like the _cup-of-noodles_ he hands to me. I take it tentatively.

He places a juice box beside me (orange, my favourite!) and then takes a seat on the ground with me. We're silent for a while as I quietly munch on the first decent meal I've had in a long time, until the strange machina wakes up again and begins wandering throughout the temple – crazy and clumsy and random, just like my thoughts.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

I feel a little bit guilty for forcing her to work for me – a little bit – and demanding that she turns over the box (which was clearly _mine_ to begin with anyway). But she's in an awkward situation right now (or so she says) and I can't just leave her to be picked up by some creep.

She places the empty cup on the ground, sucking on her juice box, still quietly. Her eyes are fixated on the greyish, bluish, whitish sky and only the soft howling of the wind and Nooj's faint buzzing echoes between our ears.

"So it's a deal?"

She doesn't answer immediately, glancing downward at her worn out boots and smoothing down the edges of the T-shirt before sighing tiredly. "Yeah, whatever…" she mumbles. She scrunches the juice box and tosses it in the cup. "You know, I don't like you very much," she says, a bit seriously and a bit giggly. And I know she's trying to pass it up as a joke, but it isn't.

I lean back on my hands, drumming my fingers against the floor. "Look, I just had the bills paid and so we're a little short on money now," I sorta-kinda lie. "And I need those machine parts, like _need_."

"I have needs too," she argues easily.

"So I said I'll get you a new wardrobe. And for every day you work here, you can stay here. No charge, Kid." I watch her emotionless face, and I can tell she's thinking that I'm cheap; thinking why can't I pay her like all my other workers, because she actually needs money, and she needs to prove _something_ to her father.

She tucks a strand of hair behind her ear casually before slipping her hands underneath her bare thighs and rocking herself back and forth, shivering slightly as a breeze from outside swirls in. She takes it as a sign, and glances away. "No," she replies. "Forget it."

I'm a bit taken back, because staying in the temple is certainly better than her other alternative of living on the streets. "Why?"

She gives me a weak smile, brushing off her legs and standing up. "I can always stay with Yunie and Tidus for awhile. And tag along with Paine if I run into her." Her smile fades. "You know, people who aren't looking to make a profit off of me."

She walks away with those words, boots heavy against the floor as she makes her way toward my room to get her things and most likely, leave. She trips over Nooj as she climbs the stairs, but just a little bit. Because she catches herself quickly and steadily regains her composure, resuming her proud and graceful walk, like the Al Bhed Princess she is.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

My hair hasn't dried, and my clothes haven't dried. And wearing them makes me feel like I had just done ten rounds with Sin and am in desperate need of deodorant. But I don't smell as bad as I did before. There's shampoo and soap and a hint of spicy herbs from the noodles that tickles my senses, and I feel quite ready to march out and find myself an adventure!

Except, I certainly don't look the part of an adventurer. My hair is gathered into a bushy ponytail. Clothes tattered and holes from the edge of my bikini top, as well as the borders of my skirt. Thread and fabric is a mess like colourful cobwebs all over my skin. My strap is still ripped, and so I'm fairly exposed. But I can't do anything about it now, and Gippal's not doing anything about it either. So I'm just going to have to find a way of fixing my own problems.

Because I'm _growing up_. Hah. Take that Pops.

I fold the pale green T-shirt and place it on his bed neatly. I don't need him for shit. I don't need anyone. With a strong determination, I jog over to the door and rip it open. And what a frickin' surprise: there _he_ is. He hears me step out, and turns from leaning over the rail to look at me. There's an unreadable expression on his face as he quickly scans my body in amusement.

I try to walk around him but he blocks me, playing that stupid game of '_not letting you pass by_' that kids always play. I go left, he goes left. I go right, he goes right. I go nowhere, and he looms over me, deviously peering down with his one eye. He chuckles a little. "You're seriously gonn' go out in public like that?"

I narrow my eyes. "Well maybe someone nice will offer me some money and I can actually afford to _buy_ my own clothes." I try to sidestep him again, but colloid into his solid frame.

"Someone _nice_?" There's a bit of anger to his voice and I push him aside equally furious.

"I told you, I'm not like that!" I exclaim, balling my fists and racing toward the stairs. But he catches my arm, and pulls me down hard on the ground. I fall quite harshly, leg bend back and head slamming against the rail. Before I can react, he's pinned my hands on the floor, and is hovering over me, breath on my cheek.

"Don't be stupid, Kid," he spits out. "Staying here is your best choice."

"Yuni-"

"You think they want you to intrude on their love life? They would've welcomed you if they wanted you, and have they?"

"…But Pai-"

"It's obvious she doesn't want to spend every frickin' day with your whinny voice in her ear – _again_. Hell, I don't even want to. _But_ I'm offering you a place to stay, food to eat, and something to do. And don't be thinkin' that my offer will still stand when you come crawling back a week later, _Kid_."

His grip on me has weakened because he knows he's put up a good argument. I try to stop the brimming tears from falling – refusing to blink and let the dry temple air evaporate them away instead. But I give up the restraint quickly, pulling my hands out from underneath and shoving him off of me with all my strength. "Then I won't be crawling back!" I shout, scrambling to my feet. I deliberately step on his fingers as I leave, and he doesn't dare follow me.

* * *

_Thanks for reading**. Please Review. **(Don't worry, Gippal's a true softie inside lol)_


	3. Guessing Game

A/N: **Thank you very much for the reviews!** I hope I haven't lost any readers due to my long absence from this fic (a mix of writer's block and busy schedule). But I hope you'll enjoy this installment! (Although I admit, this story is getting to be quite boring, but I still like it anyway.)

To recap: _Rikku wakes up in the temple where Gippal persuades her that her only choice is to hand over the box and stay/work for him at the Faction. Rikku sees this as a ploy of Gippal's just to make a quick buck off of her, and refuses to be nothing more but a profit to him. She ends up leaving the temple after their fierce argument, vowing to never come back._

* * *

**Djose Days**_  
_Ch. 3: Guessing Game

* * *

Gippal

It's Thursday, and two days since I've last seen her. For the first day or so, I hadn't really cared about where she went off to or who she was with. Her stubbornness and bratty attitude blinded any feeling of remorse I had for her, and I was frankly angrier than anything for missing out on a great deal.

My crew came back last night, and we immediately went out to retrieve the box full of machine parts that Rikku had said they'd left behind. I had little hope of finding it, because I knew that she probably already went ahead and took it the day she left. But apparently, she hadn't. And when we arrived, the box was still there, worn-out, soggy and wet, tightly wedged in between a couple of large rocks near a small cave, just like she said.

And for the first time, I admittedly felt worried. No, not worried. Agitated. No… troubled. Yes. I felt troubled because the location of the cave was a mere couple of hours away from the temple, and she _should've_ already taken the box of machine... So why didn't she?

It hasn't been a week yet, so I don't expect to hear anything from her. She's got too much pride and is too stubborn to admit she made a mistake by walking out of here. But she'll come back; somehow, sometime, someway she'll come back. I'm not going to wait out for her. My faction is – and always will be – my top priority.

With a couple of new discoveries brought back from Zanarkand and the box of the fourth shipment of machine finally in our hands, there's plenty of work to do around here. The temple is finally filled with a familiar feeling of purpose and activity that's been lacking for these past few months.

But despite the sudden change in atmosphere, my concentration typically leaves me astray, my eye wandering to the solemn weather outside, and I can't help wondering if she's really not coming back.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

This time I wake up to a pair of deep crimson eyes, brown hair cleanly spiked and blond bangs draping over his face in an unbelievably gorgeous way. He asks me if I need a place to stay, because his father owns an inn on Luca's east side.

I can't help but get a little nervous and shy, knowing clearly well that I have no way of paying him (I hadn't been able to find my precious box in the midst of the rain and sleet that had occurred on the afternoon in which I left Djose Temple!). And I highly doubt that my one gil coin will suffice.

He senses my predicament – my tattered clothes and skinny limbs making it quite clear – and he offers to drive me into Luca on his spankin' new shiny silver hover. He tells me if I'm having financial problems, I can come and work for his father at the inn. They'll pay me a decent 70 gil per hour and even cover living expenses.

I ask him what he wants in return, and he tells me a date.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

There's a knock at the temple door, and I quickly stand up and jog out of the busy workroom. I pull off my goggles, strip off my gloves, and a sickening feeling is all bundled up and itchy in my chest immediately before I recognize a male's frame standing outside instead. I slow down my pace after that.

I head toward him, realizing he's got some mail for me, his customary uniform easily giving him away. I take the envelopes he holds out for me, and before I can say a single word of thanks, he turns to leave. As if I wasn't even worth _his_ time. I begin to flip through the envelopes.

_Tye._

_Rin._

_Rin._

_Nhadala._

_Tye._

There's no blank envelope. And no cursive purple ink.

Sitting down, I clumsily tear open Nhadala's letter. She tells me about a new discovery in the Southern Expanse, and that I should send over the faction's transportation airship right away. That the diggers are growing a bit restless with nothing much to do but bake in the sun all day, and are worried about getting laid off.

I toss the rest of the letters to their usual spot behind the door, and slump down on the floor, leaning my head against the cool, cold wall. I think about firing another round of diggers. It's not like they're making miraculous discoveries everyday. After about six years of searching (alongside other new, contending groups), it's not really that much of a shock that new machine are getting hard to find.

There's the sound of footsteps approaching from outside and I glance out, half-hopefully and half-hopelessly for something blond or something caramel. But there's something black instead, holding a familiar folded sheet of paper with the faction's logo in the corner. The female holding it gives me an optimistic look, opening her mouth to speak, but I interrupt her.

"We're not hiring."

**- - - - -**

Rikku

"You're hired then!" he exclaims to me, shaking my hand excitedly. "Wow. Ex-Guardian, Lady Rikku, working at _my_ inn!" He's all giddy and jolly and teary-eyed. And I feel a bit uncomfortable for not responding with equal enthusiasm. Instead, I draw back shyly, bumping into Crimson Boy.

Crimson Boy, who I've been introduced to as Frenny IV. But I don't like that name so I call him Crimson instead and he doesn't mind. Setting his hands around my wrists he explains to his father my unusual situation.

"Oh, well. We'd be glad to help you out anyway we can, Lady Rikku!" the old man tells me with a bright smile. "There's a free room on the second floor. Would that be alright for you?"

"Absolutely," I tell him, relief swarming over me as I realize that I finally have a bed now, and a steady job as well. No more smelly clothes and flirting with ridiculously creepy men at cheap restaurants. No more dangerous fiends and camping out in deep dark caves. No more of Pops nagging voice in my head – and I wish he could come and see me now! _Just see me now_! I smile appreciatively. "I'm very grateful for your kindness, Sir. Thank you."

"Don't call me '_Sir_'! My name's Frenny III!"

I give him a nervous smile. "I'd feel much more comfortable calling you '_Sir_', Sir."

He chuckles, rubbing his round stomach and I wonder how Crimson can be so lean and fit while his father looks like he'd just eaten all of Home. "Whatever is to your liking, Lady Rikku."

"'Rikku', is fine."

"Oh, but I'd feel much more comfortable calling you '_Lady_', Lady Rikku," he replies with a wink.

I give another nervous smile before Crimson takes my hand and offers to show me to my new bedroom. I follow him eagerly.

**- - - - -**

"Sorry for that," Crimson tells me as we walk toward the elevator. "My dad doesn't meet famous people often." His toothy smile is all Gagazet-white and I get a funny thought as I picture a crimson Kimahri. "He's a big fan of yours… even though you're um… Al Bhed and all."

I look down, rubbing the back of my neck shyly. "Fan, huh?"

Crimson presses the elevator button. "Oh yeah. Used to always say things like uhh… how you helped gain recognition for your people and uhh… saving the world all the time and keeping the uhh, the Ex High Summoner safe and all that stuff, stuff."

I glare at him teasingly. "'_Uhh, stuff, stuff'_? I did a lot of '_uhh stuff stuff'_, y'know!"

"Yeah, I know. You're amazingly _awesome_. They should have an action figure of you." He gives me an sarcastic grin as the elevator doors slide open.

"You're so mean," I blurt out, the words feeling familiar on my tongue, but I don't really mean it this time.

He presses his hand against the elevator door, keeping it from closing. He looks down at me with a frown. "You're right. I am incredibly sorry. They _shouldn't_ have an action figure of you."

I shove him playfully, stepping in. "Meanie."

He backs away, whining, "What? It wouldn't be good for little boys to see such a _sexy_ doll on the toy shelves."

I give him a deadly glare, but can't hide my bashful smile. "Pervert."

He chuckles, "Seems I just can't win with you, Rikku."

I cross my arms over my chest, leaning against the wall as the elevator door closes and we begin moving up. "It's _Lady_ Rikku to you, buster."

**- - - - -**

Gippal

It seems Nooj just doesn't want to live. I've replaced the motor, the wiring and even a couple of his body plates. But he's the same like before – spontaneously reviving and dying. And I decide that he's a waste to repair, so I take the new replacements back.

I can't destroy the machine, because I've already named him after one of my close friends and it's just wrong to _destroy_ your friend without the excuse of a crazed spirit possessing you. So I leave the machine to wander by itself, and if it decides to randomly wander off over a cliff, into the mouth of a gigantic fiend, or be snatched up by an annoying purple female machine with large boobs, then, well, not my problem.

One of my workers finds me by the temple entrance, informing me that the repairs on at least two of the machines brought back from Zanarkand are complete. Apparently, they had been designed to fire on impulse, shooting with distinct precision at the detection of a moving body. The concept seems interesting to me, and I follow him into the repair room to examine the machines myself.

We decide to test their effectiveness and place them by a grove of bushes near the entrance of the temple, one machine on each side. No one usually comes by the temple nowadays anyway, so it's more likely that we'll hit a fiend.

After filling the machines with a couple of small rocks, we head back inside to finish the rest of the uncovered machines. I work on a strange looking one on my own, intrigued by its complex build and stimulated by the other two that'd been fixed. And although it gets a little frustrating at times, cleaning out the dirt and grime from the crevasses of the machine, and trying to untangle and reconnect all the loose wires, it actually becomes quite relaxing just simply working in the temple – with _workers_ around with me.

The guys start talking a bit about where they think would be the next best place to go excavating, recalling places they'd already been, and asking me if I think they deserved a raise for all their honest hard work. I tell them I think they deserve it, but that doesn't mean they're getting one.

And then one of them decides to remind me of 'that time' when they brought back the Al Bhed Princess – and oh, what ever happened to her, boss?

I tell them she left.

And was she feeling better and was she mad about us forgetting the box and is she coming back, boss? Huh, boss? Because we could sure use some help from an _expert_ like her around here.

I tell them to shut up and get back to work, but one of the guys says I'm just upset that I couldn't charm her into staying. I end up putting him on cleanup duty for a month.

There's a bit of tension in the air after that order, but as progress begins to show on the various machines, conversation stirs up again and we begin laughing and joking like before. One of the guys mentions we should all go into town and celebrate, drink, and maybe bring back a girl or two.

Suddenly, **_BAM! BAM! BAM! _**from outside; and we realize the machines have detected something.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

The room isn't as fabulous as I had thought, but it isn't any less than decent. There's a queen-sized bed (which is _quite_ nice!), a wooden nightstand, a large window, one comfy sofa and a coffee table in front of it. There's a picture of a large yellow flower hanging over by the bed.

Crimson leads me into my own personal bathroom, complete with tiny, cute bottles of shampoo and conditioner and lilac scented soap. There's even a little kit for a completely Rikku-orientated bubble bath! And there's gigantic bathtub (I bet no icy water will be trickling out of _here_)!

He suddenly dips his hand down my waist, running his smooth fingers over my skin, and I shiver slightly at his touch. "How about that date?" he asks with a sly smile.

I slip out of his grasp, checking myself in the mirror and grimacing at how scary I look. I tell him I smell, and my clothes are in horrible shape, and my hair _really_ needs a good wash. But his face isn't in protest and he answers each one of my problems simply and quickly – no complicated dealing and no embarrassing comments. He tells me to take a shower now, report downstairs to start work (because I _do_ want to make a good impression on his father, my boss!), take a nice long bath afterward, and when I come out he'll be ready with an outfit for me to wear on our date for tonight.

I tell him I don't want a _green shirt_. And he tells me, _no green shirt_ indeed.

He gets me my uniform and lays it on my new bed while I'm in the shower. When I actually start work, I have to get a few lessons from one of the other maids, Dia, on rearranging bed sheets and _presentation is key_! It takes me a long time to figure out how to stuff the large mammoth pillows into the paper thin pillowcases.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

At first I think the machines have shot a fiend, but then I realize it's just Brother.

He's shouting and swearing in Al Bhed, inserting my name wherever he feels appropriate as he tries to shield his head from the bombardment of rocks being fired at him. We tell him to stand still but he doesn't, so we finally get the machines to stop by turning them away from him. As soon as the machines shut down, he runs up to me and yells angrily, "Fryd dra vilg'c fnuhk fedr oui?"

I apologize because I know that this time, it really is my fault, and offer him a drink or a snack or something to compensate. He punches me across the mouth instead.

"Where's Rikku?" he shouts at me, grabbing the neck of my shirt as he speaks, ignoring the watchful eyes of my workers. "The old woman said she'd come up here a few days ago, so where is she?"

I shove him off of me, irritated, but don't want to rush into a fight with him. "I don't know, and I don't care." I press the back of my hand against my lip and a bit of blood comes off. I glare at him. "Syh, fryd dra vilg'c fnuhk fedr _oui_?"

He doesn't move, and his furious expression doesn't change. "Rikku hasn't been home in weeks."

I smirk. "And you're worried about her. Aww, how sweet."

"She's my sister," he growls, looking ready to take another swing at me. "Of course I'm worried about her."

I turn away from him, walking back into the temple as I make a shaking gesture with my hand. "Yeah, well, can't help you. She left two days ago, and I don't know where… Kid's a stubborn brat."

Brother balls his fists, following after me. "You _do_ know where she is. Tell me now, Gippal!"

I raise an eyebrow at him. "I told'ya I _don't,_ and I don't _care_, so quit botherin' me."

He sudden pushes past me and marches into the temple shouting, "RIKKU, LUSA TUFH RANA HUF!"

"She ain't here," I tell him in a firmer tone.

He still doesn't believe me, and instead marches up the temple steps – heading straight in the direction of my room. And before I am able to stop him, he's found it, unlocked and wide open. He walks in without care and begins examining everything in it. "Why'd she come here for?" he asks as I enter.

"I dunno, she tried to sell me some stuff," I reply, watching his every move.

His eyes and ears don't miss a single thing. "Sell you what?"

"Just a box of-"

"This is Rikku's!" he suddenly exclaims, holding up her customary blue headband. He glares menacingly at me. "What's _her_ headband doing in _your room_?"

"I dunno! She probably left it when-"

"-when what?" He takes a step toward me, grabbing my shirt collar again. "_What_ was she _selling_ you?"

This time I forcibly shove him off and he stumbles backward, crashing into the wall with a thud. "Man, calm down!" I narrow my eyebrows. The words easily slip off my tongue, "You know she's not like that."

His fist tightens around the blue headband. "_She_ does a lot of stupid things. And _you _do a lot of stupid things. And y'put two stupid people together and something stupid's gonna result!"

I shake my head as I turn away, my eye unintentionally falling on a familiar green T-shirt lying crumpled on the ground. I hesitate briefly. "Drah oui zicd kuddy dnicd ran suna."

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I'm not a professional pillowcase-stuffer, so Crimson's father assigns me the job of vacuuming the hallways of the inn. After I've run the vacuum a little too close to the edge of a customer's pants, he tells me to wait on the people in the inn's restaurant. Apparently, I find out that trying to balance five trays on two arms doesn't work as well as one would think, so he resolutely decides to make me the official inn-greeter. I greet guests and show them to their rooms. This, I'm good at.

It's evening by the end of my shift, the sky half blue, half red and sun's almost set. Crimson returns to my room just as I get out of the shower, makes a couple of flirtatious comments about the towel around me, and then gives me a large pink bag with fluffy thin tissue paper sticking out.

I'm a bit nervous as I peek in and pull out the garment he's bought for me for our date, but it turns out to be a gorgeous, ivory white cocktail dress with frilly lining around the edge. He offers to help me change into it with a mischievous grin. But he eventually steps out of my room, rubbing his cheek where I had smacked him.

The dress is a bit tight on me, which I guess is a compliment seeing as he doesn't think I'm fat, and dips a little too low down my front for comfort. I untie my braids and use my hair to help conceal any cleavage showing.

When I'm ready and down, he's there waiting patiently. Takes my hand and slides his other one around my waist as we wave good bye to his father and head out into the romantically lit Lucan streets. I ask him where he's taking me, and he tells me to the best restaurant in town.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

Brother buys a couple of machine parts for the Celsius and then leaves, since there's nothing here for him in Djose anyway without his sister in sight. My workers suggest we go into Luca and celebrate the new machine finds and our first purchase in weeks. I'm a bit hesitant. They ask me what reason do I have for staying? We've already done a lot today and we deserve a break.

My eye drifts to the temple entrance.

"Fine," I ultimately answer, walking up the stairs as I hear them laughing and talking excitedly behind me.

I head to my room where Nooj's banging itself into the wall repeatedly. My hands eventually finding themselves wrapped around Rikku's soft, blue headband. I start to feel… troubled again. A little guilty maybe for partly being responsible for her leaving and out lord knows where, instead of in the temple. Instead of where I can watch over her – y'know, if I wanted to. Because she's… She's just a kid. A spoiled, bratty, immature little kid. And she needs to be taken care of.

The boys start calling from downstairs, and I grab my jacket from the chair and quickly smooth on some gel onto my messy strands. I jog down the steps into the main room, where they're all standing by the temple entrance, trading grins and punches and maybe I feel a little proud that I can afford to take them out tonight.

"And it ain't gonna be some sleezy, cheapo restaurant either!"

"Naw, man. We're going to the _best_ restaurant in _Luca_."

They're amused at the surprise in my face, because Luca's kind of far and that would mean having to rent a room at an inn… and more time away from the temple. Suddenly, I'm not feeling as excited anymore.

I hesitate, reaching into my pocket and pull out a couple of paper gil from my wallet and giving it to them. I tell them I think they should go on their own, that they really do deserve a break. And that I can't leave the temple unattended for that long, plenty of work to keep me busy anyway.

No, Boss. C'mon Boss, this is our night, they say. But I tell them I've got a stack of paperwork to finish – which I honestly do anyway – and this would be a good time for me to do it.

A few minutes later, they're gone. Boarded the airship and nothing more but a bright, moving dot in the sky as I slump down on the temple's doorstep. I'm not really sure why I had refused to go. It's not like I actually plan on doing any work, my body mentally and physically exhausted.

Nooj whirls behind me, stepping outside and limping down the cobblestone steps. Walking down the dusty, empty road, clumsy and bouncy, like a certain Al Bhed I know. Leaning my head against the building, I close my eyes, a lonely wind sweeping around me as I listen for footsteps. Waiting, just in case she's coming back.

* * *

_Thanks for reading._** Please Review.**


	4. Sleep Safe

A/N: First and foremost, **thank you readers/reviewers**! I hope you'll continue to give me feedback. Much of what you say stays with me throughout the day/week/(month), and makes me happy, y'know? You make me happy. So, thanks :)

To Recap: _Two days after Rikku's disappearance, Gippal notices that she still hasn't returned like he had predicted. Unknown to him, she's already found a job at an inn in Luca thanks to a handsome young man she's met, Crimson, who's father manages the inn. After Brother arrives at Djose_ _Temple_ _demanding to know about Rikku's whereabouts, Gippal's workers go into Luca for a special dinner. However, at the last minute, Gippal decides against going with them, and stays behind instead._

* * *

**Djose** **Days**  
Ch. 4: Sleep Safe

* * *

Rikku

I've learned that Crimson's a touchy-feely sort of guy. He likes pretending that his hands absent-mindedly wander themselves around down past my waist. Likes it when I give him a dirty look because he's convinced himself that it's actually my way of telling him I'm turned on.

And maybe I partly am because he's a really gorgeous guy. Nice and never critical of me or trying to find ways to embarrass me. Doesn't look down on me and puts me on an equal level with him, respect I deserve. Not to mention he's got me my first job in months that I've managed to keep for at least a week now.

Sometimes, after work, we retreat back to my room and watch a movie on my bed. It'll usually be a horror movie and he's usually ready with open arms and shoulder for me to lean onto when the ghost, monster, or fiend suddenly pops onto the screen. But he doesn't realize that I've seen much worse tragedy and horror in my life, and so it's usually _him_ grabbing onto _me_ for support when the scary parts come.

Afterwards, he would sneak a couple of kisses from me. And sometimes I would let him, managing to swipe a couple of gil off of him as we make out. But I always feel guilty about it later because he _does_ treat me well. So I end up giving it to his father, and say that it was from customer tips.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

It's been a week. And it's not like it's my business where she is or who she's with, but for some reason, I keep making it my business. Her face keeps popping up wherever I turn. Footsteps leaving, echoing.

I blame Brother.

It's Tuesday, and I go into town to place a couple more orders with Tye, every so often searching the faces of the Al Bhed women I pass. This time he makes me a lesser offer, eighty-eight thousand for the Faction. He says it's because I've screwed it so far into the ground that it'd be impossible to revive it to its booming status once more. Implying that only _he_ had the skills and resources to lead such a Faction now, and that I should just give it up and sit in my nonexistent pool in Luca.

It's getting harder and harder to reject his offers, because I know what he says is true. And with the threat of him lowering his asking price, pressure is mounting on me quite heavily. But then I think about my friends, and the people I know. And I think about their reactions if I decide to declare bankruptcy at the conference (in a couple of weeks), and sell the entire Faction to an old geezer like Tye. The disappointed looks of people like Nooj, Paine, and Nhadala. The sympathetic looks of others like Baralai and the Ex-Summoner. My crew and all those that had worked for me.

And then there's _that girl_ with the little yellow bikini and mess of braided hair. _Her_ look would be the worse of them all, because her look would be one of pity. And I've never allowed myself to be worthy of pity in her eyes – in anyone's eyes.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I steal 200 gil from a man who tried to hit on me today, placing it in my secret pouch where I've been able to save about 1000 gil so far, plus my one gil coin. I decide that once I've stolen up to 9000 gil, I'll leave. Customers would start to complain too much to Frenny III by then, and he might be suspicious.

But thanks to me and my charming tongue, the inn's been getting a lot more guests lately. Crimson says to notice that most of the guests are male, and I notice but I don't mind. I've come to expect things like that, and so long as I've got the upper hand and money in my possession, I'm fine. I think.

It's Tuesday, and Crimson invites me to go with him to a new club near the stadium tonight. I tell him I'm looking forward to it, but don't have anything to wear. He makes a joke about me wearing nothing, and I laugh it off dryly before he tells me that he'll make sure to get me a nice outfit by the time my shift ends.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

Nooj died again this morning, and I had to kick him before he went back to his routine revivals. I've decided that I'm not going to do work on him anymore, and simply wait until his parts permanently breakdown and then maybe give him a formal burial service.

My recent obsession was a much quieter machine. A new little trinket brought back from the Moonflow whose only capability seemed to be standing up straight, tall, and sturdy. For a while, I nicknamed it Baralai. But then it blew up when I messed with the circuiting, so I pretended that it was Rikku instead.

Outside, the clouds are beginning to gather, and I can tell it'll rain by evening. Sweeping up the last of the exploded bits off the floor, I dump it in the trash… and then dump in whatever's left of the little machine as well.

The temple floor feels cold and empty underneath me. The room dark and lonely and quiet because my entire crew's out excavating once again, and it's just me and the Noojster left behind. I can feel my stomach start to grumble, churning upside down and squeezing tight. I wish that machine scraps were edible. Grocery shopping is a thing I haven't done since at least a week ago, and there isn't much in the kitchen but water and a few boxes of _cup-of-noodles_. I grimace at the thought.

I lie down on the ground, hands supporting my head and staring up at the dim ceiling lights that used to frizzle, sparkle, and brighten the room during its glory days. But now it seems like nothing more but tiny, jumping pryeflies slowly disappearing. It's a bit peaceful to watch, and I end up closing my eyes and falling asleep, despite Nooj's cries of helplessness.

I eventually wake up when a pile of envelopes are tossed in my face, and I glare at the mailman as he walks away, down the wet road. I am about to get up and grenade his ass when my eye falls on one particular envelope – decorated in cursive, purple ink.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

Crimson ends up getting me a new denim skirt and bikini top – in _crimson_ colour. He thinks it's cute, and I tell him I think so too, even though I really don't because who wears icky, bloody red anyway?

Apparently, colour isn't an issue down at the club where everything is sprayed with electric blue lightning, and it's like we're all in a big swimming pool. Not a very friendly swimming pool either. You've got your sharks and guppies and too many octopuses around your waist. And that's not always water in your cup.

We find a booth near the stage, and he's all over me like _whoa,_ and maybe I don't like it as much as I make it seem like I do. His hands are quick and tongue fast and slippery. All sloppy and hungry and I think he's drunk, but he's not. He eventually stops when I push him away. Apologizes, and I tell him it's okay, I was just suffocating. He laughs at this, and I do too. And the mood's all friendly again until we're on the dance floor and his hands are where they shouldn't be. Body grinding against mine. Mouth back where I don't want it to be, and he seems harder to push away now.

When he makes me gasp a gasp born of more than _just kissing_, I tell him I'm going to the washroom to freshen up.

But really, I don't expect to come back. Ever.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

It feels like months since I've gotten a letter from her, blank as always but still, she remembers and still, she's shy. I examine it in the light outside, underneath the temple overhang as Nooj dances in circles beside me, as if my inner emotions are being expressed through him. And maybe I want to dance a little bit too because Selyna liked to dance, and danced _really_ good in that little crimson dress of hers. Hair long and sleek, shiny caramel and blond and _fiery_. We were fiery. When it didn't rain.

The paper has a watermark of religious quotes streamed across the page – she's in Bevelle perhaps. And not a word of purple ink but there's… something… I see the place where she'd begun to write – in pencil of course, because she's insecure that way – but now erased and all I see are smudges and etched lines where the words had once been. She's still unsure of what to say to me. And that's a bit comforting perhaps, because at least I know she's thinking about it. Thinking about me -- us.

I fold the letter back, slipping it into the envelope and making my way upstairs to my room. I pull open the bottom drawer of my desk, tossing it in with the rest of the blank letters. Shutting the drawer with my foot and turning toward the bathroom for a shower.

Nooj trips over me along the way, and I trip over him. I fall and smash my jaw on the edge of a chair, right where Brother's wound was just healing.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

Short skirts and bikini tops work better in the daylight 'cause they make you cute and attractive and boys stop to give you stuff. But at night, suddenly you're nothing more but a _wowwhatanamazingfuck,_ and boys stop because they want _you_ to give them something.

I give them a sucker-punch. Twice.

But my hand starts to hurt after a while because I don't have any weapons on me or nothin'. And I'm hungry again. Cold, with only my stolen 1000 gil in my pocket – and my one gil coin of course. A bit regretful because I had such a good job back at that inn. Good pay, food, and a place to stay. A lurking pervert but deep, deep, _deep_ inside, he's a real nice guy.

But my feet aren't moving back toward Luca, headed to one place _specifically_. Knowing I'll never make it there, but going in that direction makes the trip feel more comforting and less scary. Less lonely. Even if he _is_ a branded cheapass smartass _jackass_.

And maybe I'll find my box.

I reach a travel agency by midnight, can't stay because a room costs a fricken' 700 gil a night, and they won't let me use their couch because I might scare all the little children. _Which is quite stupid I think_. Fortunately however, a man behind me overhears my little dispute with the clerk, and offers me a ride on his airship back to his place for the night. His place in Djose.

Soft grey eyes and strong, muscular build. I agree to it.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

There's an empty feeling in your gut when you're sitting alone in a wide, vacant temple. An empty feeling no _cup-of-noodles_ can fulfill, and your hair's a wet mess and your shirt lost somewhere in your room. Pants loosely buckled, boxer shorts peeking out 'cause maybe you're a little tired of trying to _impress _when you've got **_nothing_** but a deranged machine deathseeking throughout your temple.

I lean against the open, metal doors. Air's humid and moist with rain, earth, and heat. Fog in every direction of the land, not a living thing in sight or else the pebble-firing machines would have detected it by now. Another loser hit by flying rocks and BOOM here comes another blow to my mouth for being accused of being the missing sister's lover.

I stretch back tiredly and lie on the temple ground, a few feet away from the open doors – y'know, just in case somebody decides to come back then I'll know. Not really waiting because waiting means you're expecting it. And I'm not sure if I'm expecting her to come back after all now.

But I'm lying here anyway, Nooj somewhere down the hall trying to pick a fight with the wall. And my head's killing like fuck because my jaw is throbbing and I think I'm missing teeth. Missing teeth and eye-patch, so maybe pirating is my next career choice since this type of entrepreneurship is obviously not working for me.

I'm quite woozy a few minutes later, every once in a while glancing outside for something other than rain and fog.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

Grey-Eyes is uglier than Crimson, but cooler than Auburn Boy because he actually believes me when I tell him about my 300 pound boyfriend and kicks me off his airship, flying away faster than a cactuar on ice.

He's left me somewhere on the Djose Highroad, and I'm a little happy that I've managed to swipe at least a muffin from his airship, and my stomach doesn't have to cave in and swallow me. Not so happy because I'm wet and cold, and this feeling's a little too familiar.

I hug my muffin close to my chest as I jog through the town and through the mess of forest, taking the route that old lady had told me because it's all I know. Leaves, branches and fiends think they can get the best of me but I'm in a rotten angry mood and – _hey!_ Wouldn't I make a great fiend right now? Venarikkugun. Rawwr!

Okay, not very funny. Dead people.

So I stop imagining and continue walking until I've got scratches on every part of my body, and my heart is burning in my chest because I can't _BREATHE_ in this kind of weather.

I see the temple's top eventually, climbing up the last ledge and then collapsing on the stone ground tiredly. Refusing to move any further until I've got enough strength to stand because "_I won't be crawling back!"_ to him, to the temple. My chest heaving in and out heavily, legs twisted about and hair like a dirty old rag. I pull myself to my feet and begin to walk toward the entrance, slowly because the rain can clean me off better than Gippal's dinky bathrooms, and I'm just a little tired after all.

Suddenly, the world's gone berserk and I'm being fired at with tiny rocks from all angles, and I screech just as a roar of thunder tumbles throughout the area, muting my cries. I stumble backwards two steps, catching myself and knowing that no matter what, I'm _not_ going back to Luca. Not now.

So I surge ahead, covering my face from being shot at, cringing as my muffin threatens to fall. I take a leap (stupid idea) and slip across the pavement, slamming my body against the stairs, the steps jabbing into my side and it _hurts_.

But I don't crawl. I limp and sway while I walk, maybe, dragging myself away from the chaos of rocket pebbles, and through the wide open doors that are always open for me. Stopping when I see _his_ half naked figure on the ground, eyes closed and an empty juice box beside his head.

I wonder whether or not to wake him up, because he looks exhausted and maybe my face is not the first thing he wants to see when he's all stressed like that. Besides, why don't I just secretly bunk here for the night and wake up before he does, be gone, and I don't lose self-respect or integrity to his knowledge!

But I don't really want to be gone.

I hate it that I'm admitting he's right. That there really is no better option for me than to stay here, where he already pities me instead of going off and having someone like Yunie or Paine – people I actually care about – pitying me as well.

I kneel down beside him, chewing on my wet muffin as I watch him sleep. Kind of tempted to snuggle up beside him just because the moonlight makes his chest look really _rockhardhot_ and I'm a bit curious.

A cool breeze flies by and I shiver slightly as it curls around _my_ half naked frame, making the idea of cuddling up next to him a lot more appealing. I decide that lying down _next_ to him shouldn't be that bad. So I do. And it feels really nice until it starts feeling lonely again. Because he's right _there_ and he doesn't even know I'm _here_. But maybe it's better that way. It's not like we ended things on good terms the last time I was here. And maybe its best if I… just… if I actually just… leave.

He doesn't even like me.

I begin to sit up when his hand suddenly flings out and snaps around my waist, yanking me towards him and I let out a startled shriek as he turns me around to face him, eye searching mine, his mouth twitching undecidedly. He quickly presses me against him, tucking my head underneath his chin as he holds me close. Squishing the muffin in between my breasts, and it feels like I've got a third boob.

"Don't," he mutters. "Don't… do that again."

I glance up at him from my position. And maybe I'm smiling a little because my curiosity is satisfied, and I guess that he must like me a little bit at least for not wanting me to get up and leave again.

I lean against him, closing my eyes. "I won't."

* * *

_Thanks for reading. **Please review.**_


	5. Fragile Friendship

A/N: **Thank you to everyone who took the time to review!** As you _may_ have noticed, this story seems to bare resemblance to another story of mine (which is not surprising since this was the original plot for "_Of Beer and Rain_"). Thus, it's not all fluffy and cute like the last chapter lol. But it is full of emotion, or at least, that's my aim. And will certainly be different story-wise. Hope you'll enjoy. Special thanks to **cupcakegirl** for betaing, she's awesome.

Warning: This chapter contains mature (sexual) subject matter.

To Recap: _Unable to handle Crimson's "touchy-feely" attitude towards her, Rikku decides to leave him with nothing more than the clothes on her back and her stolen gil. She heads for Djose temple, where Gippal already knows about her pitiful situation, and she doesn't have to face new humiliation (unlike if she went to her other friends). Gippal's thoughts over Selyna's recent letter are interrupted when Rikku arrives in the middle of the night. Relieved by her long-awaited return, he asks her to promise not to leave him again._

* * *

**Djose** **Days**_  
_Ch. 5: Fragile Friendship

* * *

Gippal

I don't get much sleep within the next couple of minutes. After having removed the little blockage of squashed dessert from in between us and promising to buy her a whole tray of muffins in the morning, we settled back in our comfortable positions. My arms wrapped around her thin body, hers slung about my neck and burying her head in my shoulder. We're quiet after that, but still awake.

She sighs deeply into my chest, moaning a bit and pressing her legs harder against mine, pulling back suddenly when she realizes it's a little suggestive. "Cunno (_Sorry_)," she whispers.

"You're cold?"

"A little."

It's humid and hot, sticky and we're already both barely clothed. But for some reason, she's _cold_. And remembering that she'd only begun to dry a few moments ago, I realize she must've been splattered harshly by the rain of warmth and maybe that's why she's shivering.

I release her, sitting up and pulling her along with me. "C'mon, I'll find you something to wear." But she groans suddenly when I drag her to her feet, knees buckling and she grips her side as her head droops down. "What's wrong?" I grip onto her arm to stabilize her, my hands slipping underneath hers and uncovering a clear patch of skin. No cuts, no bruises. Yet.

"I – I fell," she forces out. "- on the stairs."

I hesitate. "Want me to carry you up?"

She shakes her head vigorously. "No, I'm fine. Just a – just a potion or two, really."

I don't let her see my frown. Because we've basically used up all of our medical supplies, relying mostly on passing healers and a few remedies and X-potions for only the most serious of injuries. "We kinda ran out. Sorry."

She gives me a hopeless look. "What? Not even _one_?"

"No."

She glances downward, and I think she's a little angry because suspicion has gotten the better of her than my sincerity. And she's thinking just like the other day, that I'm simply cheap. I reach out for her arm, offering to carry her upstairs but she quickly slaps it away, limping up the steps herself.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

_Crimson_ would've gone out at four in the morning to get me a _mega_-potion but _Gippal_ can't even _try_ to look in the medicine cabinet for a dinky little potion that he obviously must own considering that Faction work isn't all that safe in the first place. Figures. Whenever I start to feel the slightest bit of liking toward him, he always manages to upset me.

I listen for his footsteps behind me but they aren't there. And I guess he supposes that I go into his room and find a sweater myself. It's a little frustrating considering I've known him for the longest time, and never once has he made me feel… like he genuinely cares about me. But it's not his fault really; no one expects him to but me.

The first thing I notice upon entering the room is the pale green shirt he'd given me a week ago, lying across the foot of the bed. The shouting and the anger and the way he tried to play me suddenly comes back to mind, and I wonder again why I had wanted to come back here.

Gippal's ignorance is better than Crimson's attention. Right, that's why.

I find a blue and white, checkered, button-up shirt near his desk and slip it on, buttoning it loosely and relishing in the warmth the long sleeves provide. Groaning a bit as I make my way back down the stairs, face scrunched up and a little bit of sweat trails down my forehead because it _hurts_ and Gippal's an ass.

It's only right that at that very moment he valiantly strides toward me with open arms and a first-aid kit in his hand, claiming his idioticy and total lack of respect toward a full grown, independent woman like myself. But of course, that doesn't happen. And instead, I spot him calmly lying back down by the temple entrance, hands tucked behind his head and eye concentrated on the quick splashes of rain outside. I clear my throat purposefully, making his head turn and start toward him.

"I hope you don't mind," I say, gesturing to the shirt.

He shakes his head, sitting up and making room for me beside him. I take the seat, folding my hands in my lap, and wait patiently for him to say something. Something like, _Y'know, you can stay here if you want, Kid_ and _I didn't really mean it when I said my offer still wouldn't stand_. But I glance his way, and his mind seems focused on something else entirely.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

She's not Selyna, and I don't want her to be, so she's not. She's Cid's Kid, confused, bratty, and temporarily homeless. Hates my guts but here with me anyway because she needs me. Just as much as I need her.

I feel her gaze on me and turn, seeing her glance away immediately, shoulders twitching a bit as she fumbles with her fingers to keep herself busy. Her hair's a mess, wrinkled and tossed by the rain and wind. Face make-up less, but that's alright because she's never been one to wear much anyway. Still a little wet so I can see her bikini top through the shirt, bright red – too red for her.

And she looks a little sad. Almost as if waiting for me to grab her face and laugh and say _I told you so I told you so you'd be back_. Part of me wants to do that, and the other thinks she's probably been through enough.

"Y'know, you can stay here if you want, Kid," I tell her, "For the night."

Her face rises and falls almost simultaneously, and I realize she had wanted me to say that she could actually _staystay_. But I don't think it's such a good idea anymore. With the temple mostly empty because the crew's always gone, she's going to find out about our financial situation. She's going to pity me, and I don't need to be pitied.

"We'll call your cousin in the morning, she's sure to let you live with her for a while," I add.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

"Yeah," I say back, humbly rubbing my leg. Starting to feel angry with myself for not just accepting his offer in the first place. For going through with the whole Crimson episode and Grey-Eye's flight. Now crawling back to Yunie like always, and Pops will get his chance to prove me wrong.

My hand rests on my skirt pocket, where the 1200 gil I've collected so far lies. He had already rejected my box earlier, which was certainly worth more than 1200 gil, and now I have nothing left worthy of trading. He'll kick me out again – gentler this time because I worried him last time by stomping out. But he's sending me to Yunie's nonetheless, where Pops will get his "haha".

I think about seducing him into letting me stay – because that's always been a good tool for me and never fails. But one look at his shirtless frame and it feels awkward, totally wrong, and absolutely humiliating because it's _him_. But I _CAN'T_ go to Yunie, I can't! And I _WON'T_ go back to Crimson, I won't!

I look at him, my body trembling fearfully. Not sure if I really want to do this. Scared of his reaction. Deciding that I like being in the temple. Knowing he's really, not a bad person. "I'll let you kiss me if you let me… _stay_," I say.

He laughs.

He covers his mouth, twinkle in his eye and laughs.

I bite my lip, mind screaming all words synonymous to _stupidity_ at myself for saying that. Yelling at myself for hurrying up and laughing it off because staying with Yunie's better than dealing with this. That my stubbornness isn't worth this embarrassment, this sinking to a new level, this selling of myself that he has mocked me for.

"I'll sleep with you if you let me stay."

Because I'm desperate, and being humiliated in front of Gippal is better than being humiliated in front of my father.

**- - - - -**

Gippal 

It's not funny anymore when those words come out of her mouth, and I stare at her for a long time before I realize she's actually serious. Her staying will add an extra housing cost, water, food, clothes, and _toiletries_. Things I'm hardly able to keep up with for the Faction's limited crew, let alone a new person. And this time, she doesn't have something of value that can counteract the cost.

But she's offering something _else_. And I'm surprised, also disappointed that she's that desperate. That she really wants to live _here_ that badly that she's willing to throw away any piece of integrity in her.

I can easily tell her forget it, that she can stay regardless. Easily. But the way she's staring at me, longingly and hopeful, willing and pleading. Not everyday a girl like her looks at you like that. Makes you an offer like this. Makes it so easy for you to accept or reject, and you know you've imagined yourself with her before.

The risk I'm running of her finding out about our financial situation seems unimportant now as she rubs the side of her arms. Face fallen with shame and regret. Hating my guts all over again and wishing she hadn't come. Promising herself that she won't ever come to me for anything ever again.

"Alright," I tell her. "I'll let you stay." And I try to ignore the guilt that washes over me at her relieved smile.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I grin immediately and want to hug him, but remember that he's not doing this for free. I'm half saddened and half trying to look on the brighter side because at least he's a hundred times better looking than most men I've flirted with – even though I've never gone this far.

When he doesn't move, I realize he plans on doing it _here_. A little disturbed and a little okay with it simply because that means I don't have to endure the pain of climbing back up the stairs to his room. And no one comes by the temple this late at night anyway. He gives me a reassuring look of conformity and my fingers tentatively start to unbutton the shirt.

He watches in silence. This time, his mind entirely on me and my show for him. Once in a while glancing upward to catch my gaze, but he doesn't hold it for long. When the garment slides off my shoulders, it's nothing new because he's seen me in it earlier. I just look way hotter this time because the tone between us is different now. And I try not to admit to myself that it's not totally _that bad_ of a commitment when I think about it.

I kneel as my hands slip under the border of my skirt, slowly pushing it down, as if I know he's going to stop me any moment and say that I don't have to continue. But he doesn't, and it slides right off, revealing the only type of underwear I own, a g-string.

He's focused on me intently, the sizzle of lightning and crash of thunder outside not drawing an ounce of his attention as he leans back coolly against the temple column and waits. Rain falls outside like my expectations of his morals, dropping with every lingering second.

I reach behind my back and untie the top, slowly. Seeing if he'll get up. Seeing if he'll stop me. And even after it has fallen to the ground and I'm exposed, he's still sitting there as nonchalantly as ever, and I decide that I hate him for it.

I slide toward him, feeling cold again but burning under his watch. Flinching when he touches me, when he lowers me to the cool marble floor. Stomach clenching when he kisses me, deep and hungry. Moaning as his hands brush over between my legs. Gasping when he bites into my neck, soft and gentle. Numbing when he kisses a wet trail down between my breasts. Tearing when he unbuckles his belt. Crying when he suddenly stops and looks at me.

When he pities me.

**- - - - -**

Gippal 

She's _not_ Selyna.

Not a substitute, not a replacement. Not to be used like this. She's still the little spoiled brat, annoying kid that I've always known. Under me and _crying_ because I'm not as indifferent to her as I used to be. Not as _safe_ as I used to be.

I get off of her, quickly tighten my belt and grab the shirt from the ground. Wrap it around her bare body and leave her there. Walk up the stairs and into my room and leave her there. Sniffling and sobbing, hugging herself as I firmly shut my eyes and ears. Closing my door when it turns into a bawl, gripping my head and _I can't believe that just happened_.

I collapse on my bed, pounding my fists against the mattress. Half relieved that I hadn't gone all the way with her, but half angry that I'd even _let_ it go _that far_. Guilty that I'd taken advantage of her, but a bit frustrated for _feeling_ guilty – for not being able to just _do it_ with her like I've done so many others in the past.

When a half-hour's passed, I peek out of my room to see if she's still down below. And she actually is. Huddled in the corner, her skirt and top still scattered on the ground but the shirt wrapped around her like a protective coating as she lies as still as a rock against the wall. Quiet.

I jog down the steps and over to her, cautiously slipping my arms around her sleeping form. Pressing my face against hers and holding her delicately as if she were made of porcelain. Guilty as if I've broken her. Knowing I have no right to touch her after what I've done. And maybe I'm crying a little too because of it.

* * *

_Thanks for reading. **Please Review.**_


	6. Caramel Copy

A/N: **Thank you so much for all the reviews!** They make me so happy! But now I feel bad though because this chapter has been poorly edited by me, and I feel as if I've gone off style somehow, I don't know. I hope it's not obvious.

To recap: _When Rikku realizes she's no longer has an item of value to offer Gippal in place of her residence, she offers to sleep with him instead. Gippal accepts but stops the act when he sees her crying, also realizing that he's still hung over a past lover, and feels slightly guilty for taking advantage of Rikku. _

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**Djose Days**_  
_Ch. 6: Caramel Copy

* * *

Rikku

It's barely sunrise when my senses wake me, when I feel the warmth of hard flesh behind me and hugging around my body. Cool, smooth ground beneath me, and the faint scent of moist earth as a brisk wind slaps my face.

I recognize his hands immediately. Remember last night clearly. Try to slip out of his hold because it makes me want to vomit, makes my stomach flip, and I want to hurl at the thought of how _stupid_ I can be sometimes.

I crawl away, stopping momentarily to stare at his slump form. His head knocked to the side and drooping low, his back bent sluggishly and legs sprawled out as if he'd just been KO'd. I frown when I think about why he had decided to return back downstairs and stay with me throughout the night. Why he had let me cry myself to sleep _and then_ give me the _pleasur_e of waking up in his arms, _as if_ he'd always been there to comfort me.

A rush of air meets my chest, and I look down and notice the shirt's still unbuttoned. The same as I had left it. And open wide for anyone to sneak up behind me in my sleep and... But Gippal's not like that.

I don't want to think that he's like that.

Buttoning takes too long, so I grab the ends and tie a knot above my belly. Getting to my feet and finding the washroom a few minutes later. I splash some water on my face. Wash away the crusty feel of dried tears and faint trails of mascara (which Crimson lied about it being waterproof). The tired look in my eyes is characterized by the dark, heavy bags that are slung beneath it like a dark, half moon. I smooth down my hair with the excess water on my hands.

There's no available toothbrush for me because Gippal's not Crimson, and I'm not working in an inn. So I simply rinse my mouth out with water until the morning breath is gone, and then rummage through hung pants for a pack of gum to chew out the smell in minty freshness.

Pants remind me that I'm lacking a lower garment, and I tread back downstairs and grab my skirt off the ground. I slip it on quickly before grabbing my top and heading down the hall, wincing a bit and clutching my side at the painful reminder of my fall on the stairs yesterday night.

There are doors on every side, each one of them closed. And I wonder which room he will give to me to stay in. Then, I remember that I haven't technically earned my right to live here. That I've only gone halfway through our agreement. That he can technically call me back anytime to 'finish the job', and I can either leave to the streets again or do it. No room for negotiation. He made that fact clear last night.

My eyes begin to sting and I think I'm going to cry again but I ball my fists and don't let it out. I open a random door on the left, one with cute little flower stickers on the doorknob because it looks friendly. Inside, there's a bare, neatly made bed and a dresser. Simple, caramel coloured wallpaper on all sides with shiny hardwood floor. There's a tiny stuffed chocobo in the corner of the bed, and I'm instantly in love.

**- - - - -**

Gippal 

_She's left again_, is the first thought that comes to mind. Her clothes are gone from the floor, and she's clearly not in my arms like I remember. I sigh, pressing my palm to my forehead and run it through the ends of my hair, moist like morning dew on grass. Standing up, I glance for a few seconds outside before heading towards my personal bathroom upstairs.

I quickly brush my teeth, not looking in the mirror – not really interested with my guilty face. Afterward, I shower underneath the thin trickle of icy water, letting it absorb every last remnant of her off of me, and letting it disappear down the drain – just like she always does.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I don't feel right lying in a bed I haven't exactly claimed ownership of, so I leave the room and give myself a short tour of the temple. My footsteps feel like an Iron Giant's in the empty hallway, thundering throughout, and I think I might be able to emulate the sounds of a rainstorm if I can make a crackling lightning noise. (I don't try to though.)

My gil shakes in my pocket, jingling reminders of money, and _owing_, and _debt_. I don't think that he'll appreciate the trade of 1200 gil in place of my agreement with him last night. He won't refuse it, but he won't like it very much, I know that.

I eventually wander into the kitchen where the garbage is filled with bowls upon bowls of empty instant noodles and juice boxes, and the counter is stacked with styrofoam takeout containers and wooden chopsticks. I take a peak in the refrigerator and find one lone egg and a few bottles of water. There's a ketchup bottle on the shelf, and a couple of half-drunken bottles of beer in the back. I close it, leaning against the counter and think. I don't cook very well but watching the chefs at Crimson's inn has taught me how to at least make a satisfying broth.

I climb out a window and land on hard stone outside the temple, bruising what's already been bruised. I sneak past the entrance just in case he coincidently wakes up and sees me. I'm not exactly ready to face him yet.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

Nooj's in a state of panic when I find him, whirling around and throwing my collection of nails and bolts all over the ground from their proper boxes. I end up stubbing my fingers and knees a few times cleaning up the scattered pieces.

There's not much for me to do around the place. A ton of crap's in the back waiting to be sold, but no one wants to buy them. And can't do any repairs until my crew or Nhadala brings back something worthy repairing. And can't do many upgrades without new equipment to replace our decaying ones. And can't get new equipment without money.

But new inventions just turn out to be another Nooj anyway.

I end up walking toward my office and grab a neatly rolled scroll from the top of the pile of dusty, overdue payments in the corner. I roll it across my desk, using a stapler and a half-filled juice box to hold the corners down. I've been working on the design for nearly two months. A new transportation airship for the Faction – much better than our current one, which is bandaged with duct tape at all sides and its frame threatens to fall apart from all its rattling.

This new one will be able to transport almost three times as much cargo as the old one while using a third less fuel. And there'll be a bar in the cabin just like Brother's fancy-schmancy _Cel… Cellulose_, except the Hypello will be replaced with a drop dead gorgeous female – who'll also be able to do engine repairs; it's more cost-efficient that way.

I smile lightly to myself. It'd be a great airship, if I could build it.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I end up hitching a ride with the mailman on my way back from town. He said he was on his way to the temple as well and wouldn't mind dropping me off.

I clutch the groceries close to my chest, their weight a greater burden than the 1200 gil I had in my pocket, now reduced to a mere 300 gil. It feels a little weird with him behind me though, his arms surrounding me on both sides and his body leaning against mine a little too close for comfort. I decide that he's not as noble a man as I had thought, and manage to swipe 120 gil just before stepping off the tiny hover.

He gives me a couple of envelopes, saying they're for Gippal. After an attempt to ask me out to dinner and me answering that I _unfortunately_ had _other plans_, he leaves with a bitter look, continuing along his route as if his ego had not been damaged the slightest bit.

I tip toe quietly up the steps and inside the temple, relived to find Gippal no where in sight. I make my way to the kitchen where I toss the envelopes on the counter and begin boiling a pot of water. I hum quietly as I read over the nutrition facts on the box of instant chicken flavoured soup base before washing the vegetables.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

It's nearly noon when my stomach starts growling, and then there's a sickening feeling that quickly accompanies it at the thought of another week of _cup-of-noodles_. I sigh, slapping my palm against my forehead, feeling better somehow. More alert. I think about going to Ma and Pa's for the rest of the day. Ma makes good pie. But that'll mean a lengthy trip to Kilika. I'm not in the mood for Kilikans.

A few minutes later and I notice myself hallucinating the smell of fresh chicken stew. A few more minutes after that and I decide that the smell is getting stronger and stronger. Some delicious herbs, and spices. And hot, toasted bread rich with a thick layer of butter.

And then the fire alarm goes off.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I hastily grab the pot off the stove, setting it in the sink and rigorously fanning the area of smoke. I've already opened the windows but it isn't doing much, and with each agonizing second I can just feel his presence getting closer and closer. I can just hear his voice shouting at me. I can just see him throw me out of the temple right here and now, chasing me out with the fire extinguisher and never wanting me anywhere _near_ his kitchen.

I groan when a new burnt smell arises, opening the oven and finding the previously golden brown baguettes covered in inky black, as if someone had taken a piece of charcoal and smeared it all over the bread. I turn off all appliances and pull out the tray from the oven, yelping when it burns my fingers through the wet cloth, flying backwards and slamming against the counter with a _crack_ as the tray lands perfectly on the floor.

And I can just _see_ Pops staring at me, a glare in his eyes that says, "_I'm right_!" That _Rikku, Oui'na lusbmadamo ennacbuhcepma! Frah yna oui kuehk du knuf ib? (You're completely irresponsible! When are you going to grow up?)_ And really, what will I say to him then?

Gippal enters coughing, fanning the lightly greyed air with his arm as his hand cups around his face. He scans the room and his gaze falls on me. His face softening and then hardening just as fast as the burnt stew. He then takes me by the shoulder and hastily leads me out of the kitchen.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

I had thought she'd left already. Thought she'd gone and scampered off to Yuna or her father for help like she always does. Instead, she was still here. Making lunch. For us.

I want to yell at her, but then I _can't_. Because she's still childish. She's still immature and making mistakes. On this strange little self-discovery, independence-seeking journey of hers away from her Pops, and she just got desperate last night, that's all. Never really the think before do type.

But I can't help but want her _out _of here. Would really prefer it if she really had left like I thought. It would've been easier that way. I wouldn't have to worry about her finding out about the Faction's situation. I wouldn't have to clean up after her legendary cooking catastrophes. I wouldn't feel as if she constantly owes me something for staying here, for not following through with our agreement.

I wouldn't feel like I constantly have to cheat her.

"I'm sorry," she says, hugging herself slightly after a moment, not daring to look up because she knows I'm angered.

I don't reply, don't accept her apology nor reject it. There's no time for little things like that when my eighty-eight thousand gil temple nearly burned down. Instead, I simply walk past her, and back inside the kitchen to clear up the smoke.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I end up eating breakfast alone. Gippal left the second the smoke cleared up, not speaking to me still as he made his way down the hall with blackened hands and charcoaled kissed cheeks – like the firemen of Luca I'd particularly eyed during my stay there. I suppose that may have been his way of telling me he's very displeased and '_hah, my barbecued ass you're staying, kid_.'

I gulp down the last spoonful of my bowl, feeling saddened because it actually turned out pretty good considering it's the first thing I've actually ever made on my own from scratch (burnt or unburnt). And no body's here to celebrate it with me.

I clear up my plate and bowl, washing them in the sink and leaving them to dry on the rack. They look a lot cleaner than I do, and I bite my bottom lip as I think about having to chase down the mailman and telling him I would actually like to spend time with him… and maybe borrow a bed for the night while I'm at it.

I decide that, before I leave, the least I can do is offer some sort of compensation for my troubles – the last bit of my stew and scraped off bread, whether or not I'll get to anticipate his reaction with my own eyes. As a bonus, I also clean up the entire kitchen, including some messes that I didn't even make, and restacking the envelopes neatly on the counter for him to see.

I put the vegetable stew bowl (which has cooled to great effect by now) and slice of bread (which has hardened like rock candy by now and as chewy as gum) on a tray with a cup of hot tea. I am very cautious as I make my way down the hall with it, glancing at the gap at the bottom of each door to see if there's a light so I'll know which room he's in.

I finally spot one and it makes sense because the words _OFFICE/UVVELA_ are engraved into the wood. I attempt to knock but can't because the tray is too heavy. I am forced to call out his name. My voice croaks as I do so, and I am about to place the tray on the ground and simply leave just like they do at the inn, when he suddenly opens the door.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

She jumps slightly when she sees me, and I frown, her face a terrible sight to look at. Her hair and clothes and _my shirt_ making her look like she'd just climbed out of the ruins of Zanarkand. I then notice the food in her hands and her expectant look. I take it from her to be polite, mumbling a quiet thanks.

She still doesn't go away once I've placed it on my desk and turn back to look at her again. She stares at the ground, rubbing her arms lightly and a frown that I immediately decide I don't like seeing on her face. "What?"

She glances up, her mouth twitchy now, her arms folded over her chest. "I'm sorry."

I pause before shaking my head and telling her it's no big deal.

She frowns again, having sensed my hesitance and not believing my words. But she's forced to accept it anyway because it's in her best (financial) interest. After a few seconds of silence, she takes off my shirt, revealing her skimpy outfit from the night before, and holds it out to me. "Thanks… for the stay," she says steadily. "I'll be going now."

"Wait." And she turns around _instantly_, but I've got nothing to say. The word came out of nowhere and I hadn't even thought about it. It just felt right. I sigh, scratching the back of my neck as she watches me with eager eyes, and I know what she wants me to say. Know that she wants me to stop her. Tell her she can stay. That she's proved to me that she's willing to do _almost anything_ to live here.

But I've got a whole Faction to manage, and no time for girls who can't make up their minds.

"Be safe."

Her face falls, clearly. But she picks it up quickly and nods slightly at me, pulling her composure together and heading out the door. Her footsteps echo throughout the empty hallways, much unlike the noise and ruckus that had filled the temple just a half-hour before. It is then that I begin to wonder if I'd made a mistake by letting her go. Because she'd admittedly be a very valuable asset to the Faction – we need all the free labour we can get. And she's not just _any_ ordinary mechanic. She's Cid's kid after all.

I follow silently behind her, watching her sunlit hair sway behind her back as she leaves through the doors, her head crouched down as if a hood sat on her head and was shading her from the rain. Her back hunched over as if she were carrying a large backpack. And the sight is all a little too nostalgic for me to appreciate.

But then she turns back. And she catches my stare. She stops moving.

It's an awkward moment as we look at each other, kind of like one of those old, black and white, romance movie spheres that they screen on Wednesday nights in Luca. Except, she's no innocent, proper, classy lady in a flowing white dress with an undying passion for me. And I'm no rich, kind, cleanly dressed love-sick gentleman ready to take her into my arms and kiss her _just enough_ for the film to still be rated PG.

No. She's a bum in a whore's outfit standing alone in the middle of the pavement looking back into a place that she _could've_ called her new home. A place _I_ could've let her stay in, and she's blaming herself for nearly burning down my kitchen and for… last night's episode. Blaming me for not being more understanding, when really, _she's_ the one that doesn't understand that I just _can't_ handle providing for another worker.

It's a moment too long and her face has lost all hope. Drained of all energy and optimism, looking as if I've been dangling the prize over her head all this time and she's finally given up on trying for it. It makes me feel guilty, unsure and jumpy. Not wanting to give up my privacy and endure her annoying habits _every frick'n day_ if I decide to let her stay. But I also don't want to spend every night sitting by the temple entrance, waiting.

I eventually walk toward her, a bit more confident now as my hands reach into my pocket for all I have – a mere 200 gil. I take her hand and put the money in it, closing her fingers over it as she watches me in bemusement. I hesitate again before speaking. "For… your wardrobe. I'll… I'll give you more later, after I've found you a proper room."

I don't look at her face for a reaction because I'm worried I'll regret my decision. But a few seconds later, she gives me a gentle kiss on the mouth and I'm forced to glance up, meeting her excited eyes as she whispers a sincere thanks.

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_Thanks for reading. **Please Review.**_


	7. Proud Prick

A/N: **Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed!** I've realized that I've lost a number of readers and _that's okay_ lol because I don't want to force youto read something you don't enjoy anymore. BUT I do appreciate those who do, as it gives me a purpose to continue this story. So, thank you very much for those of you who are consistent with this fic as I plan to see it through to the end this time:

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**Djose Days**_  
_Ch. 7: Proud Prick

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Rikku

The lady in the blue is a lady _all_ in blue. But not just in any old ordinary blue, oh no-no. She's got _that_ blue. The blue that makes you go _whoo_ now that's a blue! Five hundred different shades of blue glitter on her silky dress, whipping around her legs every time a breeze passes by. The fabric catches the sunlight like a mirror, reflecting it like rays of magic shooting from within her, and it's as if she's about to burst into pyreflies any second now!

I want to walk around looking like I'm about to burst into pyreflies too. It's pretty. But I'm assuming the dress is a bitty bit expensive – certainly not affordable on my budget of 620 gil. But Gippal _did_ say he was going to get me more. How much more, I don't know, but I'm guessing at least 3000 gil considering all the machina he must've been able to repair and build and sell (during these past few days alone!). Despite so, I go to purchase only the most essential items first – the _bare_ minimum – and decide to wait until he gives me enough to be a Lady in Blue too.

I purchase enough undergarments to match a third of what I have back home in Bikanel as well as a couple of cotton shorts before I'm down to just 6 gil left in my pocket. I think about donating it to a charity somewhere nearby until I come across a gumball machine and that seems more appealing. But I eventually feel guilty about it later, and give it to a kid crying over his fallen ice cream cone.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

I enter the room and slide my foot against the hardwood floor, leaving a clean trail behind that reveals the difference between it and the layer of dirt that had formed during these past months of vacancy. I grimace as I scan the rest of the room, a dull haze sits, coming from the sunlight that filters from the small window. The bed is bare without a blanket or cover, and I remember that I had given it to the crew a couple of weeks ago when the ones in the airship cabin ripped. I sigh, sitting on the rock hard bed.

The majority of the temple's residential rooms are trashed with old, broken machine and then there's _that_ room with the caramel coloured wallpaper which isn't an option. The only room left that has an acceptable level of cleanliness and decency is this one. This one, which is at the very end of the hallway, a place where not even Nooj lurks. And if I let Rikku stay here she'll freak, and whine and cry and oh-_fuck it_.

I stand and swiftly leave the eerie room.

She's just going to have to deal with it; I agreed to let her live here, not babysit her.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

It's around 3 when I'm back at the temple, cute, little, colourful bags tightly held and swinging in my hand, and the other carrying a small box of nuts and bolts (that I'd managed to convince Tye to give to me for free!). I think about giving it to Gippal right away, just in case he has any doubts about letting me stay.

I'm excited when I get inside, because I can't wait until he shows me where I'm staying, and I hope it's the one with the cute little stuffed chocobo that I had liked so much. And maybe he's even decorated it for me, with new bed sheets and a sign on the door just for me! But my excitement eventually calms down after I've searched nearly the entire temple (including the office!) and can't find him. I think about asking a worker of his whereabouts but strangely, the entire place is empty.

I suddenly think everyone's hiding and are going to jump out and scream 'SURPRISE!' to me. But that thought dies when I realize it's not my birthday and Gippal probably wouldn't authorize such a scheme during work hours. The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs makes me rush to the main room, and to my relief, I see his frame jog down toward me.

Grinning, I run up to him and press the box into his chest. "Here, I got these for you." I draw back shyly as he examines it, feeling good about myself when he returns the smile.

"Thanks," he says. "You didn't have to though." He tears it open and looks inside, his eyebrow raising as he lets out a sigh of astonishment. "Hey, these are good quality." He eyes at my purchases and then at my face. "How did you manage to buy all that… and then this?"

I shrug innocently. "I'm a good bargain hunter."

**- - - - -**

Gippal

_Or your bikini's two sizes too small. _I nod weakly at her, tucking the box underneath my arm and pausing when she stares at me expectantly. "What?"

She blinks cutely, pushing one of her shoulders up to touch her cheek. "My room?"

"Oh, uh. Right."

I lead her through the doors and around the corner, down the hallway of residential rooms. I can feel her excited energy slowly lessening as we pass the doors and I don't claim any of them as hers. By the time we've reached the end, lit solely by a small orb of light, her face is struggling to look optimistic, but I don't reconsider my decision. I point to the door. "This is it."

It takes a while for it to register in her mind, and she glances briefly at me as if just to make sure she heard me right. Then, she tentatively opens it, curiously walking inside and letting her eyes roam quickly. "It's… nice."

I lean against the frame as she walks around, setting her bags on the floor against the bed as she lazily looks out the clouded window, traces her fingers along the paint-chipped walls. I can tell she's disappointed, but that's a feeling she's just going to have to get used to around here.

"I'll be in my office if you need me," I say before leaving.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

He hates me. He hates me and he wants me to die. And maybe I'm just starting to realize that perhaps I annoy him just a little too much sometimes and this is his own subtle/not so subtle way of punishing me. That really, we're not as close as most half Al Bhed ex-summoners think, and I can't exactly blame him for expecting me to be pleased with this room. (Although, Frenny III would scowl at Dia if he saw one of his inn rooms in this state of dreadfulness.)

I collapse on the bed and immediately yelp when it doesn't sink in like it's supposed to. Instead, it is just as comfy as lying on a grassy slope in the Calm Lands. Which okay, is admittedly not that bad. But beds are supposed to feel better than a hill of dirt, y'know?

I sit up, rubbing my sore rear as I rummage through my newly bought things. It's an inexplicable sense of pride I guess, that these things I've bought are my first _I-don't-live-off-of-Pop's-money_ clothes. And alright, maybe it's Gippal's money, but _I_ earned it. I… earned it.

I twitch suddenly and my arms snake around my waist. My legs retract and I hug myself tightly, feeling that feeling all over again. That feeling I felt of stomach-flipping and intense contraction of my sides, making me suddenly feel cold and shaky and I want to _puke_. It's a feeling that tells me to remember. Remember, remember, that Gippal's not much different than Crimson.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

After the fifth time of pausing in less than a minute, I decide to give up on the drawing. It's as if I've lost all concentration, all drive, and all I can think about is _Maybe I should have at least given the stew a try_. But it's sitting in the garbage under piles of dirty packaging paper now, and I'm not about to ask her to make more.

Down the hall, Nooj is scaling the stone walls for a chance to jump out the window. It's not working of course, and I end up wondering what the temple will be like without his sputtering and occasional tantrums at other scraps of machine. What the temple will be like if he's gone, and it's just me and Rikku. Because then, I'll have very limited outlets to distract myself.

And the problem isn't that she's not good at being distractive. The problem is that she can be _too_ distractive sometimes, and it makes me think that I should've named the death-seeking machine 'Rikku' instead of 'Nooj'. It doesn't help that she's got a model's figure, a stripper's wardrobe, and the brain of a ditz.

The thought suddenly makes me on edge, and I remember last night and the crying and the whining and the _guilt_. It makes me want to find her and apologize to her, but I won't because if anything, _she_ should be the one apologizing to _me _for wasting my time. For Ixion's sake, she's the one who _asked_ for it.

I realize that's a bit harsh despite its truthfulness, and rummage in my desk drawer for my little savings wallet, pulling out another 200 gil paper bill as if to compensate.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I like the way my footsteps echo throughout the temple, the walls cold and rough with little light fixtures spitting out sparks of electricity. Like a mini Thunder Plains, except without the fiends and sobbing Pops. But strangely, there aren't any workers here either.

It's odd that I haven't seen a single other person all day aside from Gippal, and I decide to question him about it later when I run into him. But instead, I see a familiar machina shakety-shaking its way up the wall and toward a window. An open window, that is. And I quickly run to it, yanking it off and holding it out as far as possible from me when it starts going chaotic. And then, just as suddenly, it goes limp in my hands. As if I've killed it with my kindness.

I lay it on the ground, kneeling and examining it. The same machina that shot a dozen envelopes in the air and almost got me blamed for it, just over a week ago. I look it over carefully, trying to see if there's any obvious problem to it but I can't tell without the proper tools. A cough from behind me makes me jump and I turn around with a startled expression.

Gippal smirks a little at me, his fingers crinkling a piece of paper in his hands. "What're you doing?"

With a shy smile, I quickly cross my legs over each other and press them against the ground, pointing to the dead machina. "I was trying to see what's wrong with it."

He bends down with me, sitting on the stone floor and brutally drags the machina by its little legs toward him. He sharply flips it over and I hear a _crack_ but Gippal doesn't look surprised. "It's like that. I've been trying to fix it for months. I've given up though."

I take it from him carefully, rocking it in my arms as if it were little Vidina. "Maybe it's 'cause you treat it so cruelly. You should be gentler with stuff, y'know?"

"Stuff?"

"Machina, I mean."

"Machine."

"Same difference."

He gives me a sceptical look before turning away and standing up. "Anyway, I'll give you your duties tomorrow. Can't have you lying around adopting orphan machine all day."

I nod, placing the machina on the ground and standing up with him. He holds out the piece of paper to me. Money for my wardrobe. I take it eagerly but then frown when I realize it's just another 200 gil. I want to ask him if he plans on giving me the money piece by piece like an allowance or something, but that sounds greedy and rude. And he's already pushed aside the sex agreement so maybe I should just be grateful for that alone.

He folds his arms across his chest and stares at me. "What, no kiss this time?"

My cheeks warm slightly at that comment and I shrug. I feel like saying '_what, you're still cheap this time_?' but I don't because that doesn't sound appropriate to the guy that's just offered you residence at his temple. Instead, I tip-toe slightly and lean in to give him a small peck on the cheek. But all of a sudden, he steps back and my eyes grow wide as I try to catch myself before tripping.

"I was just kiddin', Kid," he says with an amused grin, before leaving down the hall.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

I know she's seen the envelopes, and was probably the one the mailman gave them to. But it strikes me as a bit surprising that even after seeing them, she hasn't asked a single question as to why I got so many letters from Tye. Nor anything about the blank letter with cursive purple writing. It's a comforting thought, I guess, knowing she's gotten less nosy over these past few years.

I close the fridge door, hearing the drone of the shower tap die off. She'll be out any minute complaining about what happened to the washing machine and I'll say the Faction doesn't _do_ laundry and she'll give me that dirty look that says I'm a cheap, lying bastard.

I fold the blank letter and head back up to my room, opening the bottom drawer of my desk and slipping it in with the others. I close it quickly when I hear her footsteps approaching.

She passes by slowly, her body bent forward and head turning in every direction. When she finally notices me, she smiles weakly, a damp towel in one arm and a bag of her dirty clothes in the other. She spins around lightly, as if she were a little girl playing dress-up. "Like it? It only cost me 90 gil – together!"

It's not really _that_ hard to believe: a simple pair of blue shorts and another one of her bikini tops. I nod, trying to ignore the fact that she could've done something more beneficial for the Faction with that money. "Yeah, it's nice."

Her arms drop to her sides, and I know she can tell I'm holding something back. "But…?"

"But nothing."

"But what?"

"But your butt looks big."

She's quiet after that and I hope I've shut her up for at least the next few minutes because apparently, she hasn't lost her nosiness like I thought. I make my way to my dresser and take out some clothes, readying for a shower. But when I look up, I catch her concentrated gaze on a shiny piece of metal beside her as she checks out her reflection in it. It makes me laugh a little, and I push her head as I walk toward the bathroom.

"Funny girl. If you want, take a look at the center machine downstairs instead, in the main room. See if you can turn it into anything useful, or else I'm melting it." I wave my hand aimlessly at her. "I'm gonn' shower. Be down soon."

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I think he's worse than a meanie. He's a bully. And it's not like he does it deliberately, he just naturally doesn't give a damn about anyone other than himself. I start to wonder if that's the reason why there's no worker in sight (suddenly remembering that I _still_ have to ask him about that!), because he's driven them all away with his attitude.

I lean toward the machina and almost trip, recalling how _he_ almost made me trip too earlier this afternoon, and the fact that I still haven't forgiven him for _just kiddin' around_. And for my butt. I sigh at the thought of them both and collapse on the ground, tossing the pliers aside.

I don't even know why I'm working on the machina, especially when I'd just taken a (icy) shower to cleanse myself. Now I'm back to greasy hands and sweaty face, frustrated groans and sighs because the only thing I've gotten the machine to do is blink its side lights. But I don't want to see Gippal just chuck it away, treating it cruelly like the other malfunctioning machina. Just because the machina's all roughed up, that doesn't mean it doesn't deserve a chance to improve itself. Doesn't mean it shouldn't be taken care of for a while longer until it feels comfortable enough to walk back to its Pops and say—

The sound of the braking of a hover catches my attention, and I turn toward the open temple doors to see a figure hop off and walk up the steps toward me. For a second my heart stops at the realization that it could be Crimson. And I _don't_ want to see him again, talk to him again, work for him and his dad again, no sirrie bob.

But it turns out not to be Crimson, and that's enough to make me smile. "Can I help you?" I call out cheerfully.

The man approaches me, his face revealed by the dim temple lights as he enters. "Yeah, I'm looking for a few replacement parts for my hover. It's been acting up lately. Uhh, do you know where Gippal is?"

"He's taking a shit."

"Oh." The man rubs the back of his neck and glances downward. "Alright then, I guess, I guess I just might as well just go to Tye's," he laughs lightly before stepping away.

I get up on my feet, grabbing the machina I'd been toying with and chase after him. "Wait!" I hold it out with a bright grin. "Would you be interested in this state-of-the-art machina?"

He smirks at my attempt. "Actually, I'd be more interested in the holder of that machine than the machine itself."

I pull back, blushing faintly and changing my posture into a bit more of a seductive one, bending over slightly. "I made it myself y'know," I whisper.

He laughs, taking a step toward me and examining the machina a bit closer. "Oh, really. What does it do?"

I bite my lip, my mind racing for answers. "It… provides convenient lighting without the use of an electrical plug. And… if you don't like it, you can always take it apart and use its motor instead!" I lean in toward him, the machina pressing into us both. "It's _brand new_, y'know."

"Brand new?"

"Mmm hmm." I stroke the metal sides delicately, giving him a hopeful look as I lift one of my shoulders up to touch my cheek, smiling sweetly. "What do you say, 5000 gil?"

He shakes his head in amusement. "That's _way_ too much."

"Oh c'mon, it's a flashlight _and_ a brand new motor you're getting, plus a bunch of extra pieces of metal!" I nudge his arms open and place the machina in it as he sighs. I smile at him, running my hand down the side of his neck and whisper, "But I guess, since you're cute, I can give you 4500 gil for it."

He smirks, hesitating for a moment before finally giving in and handing me over the money. I thank him quickly with a peck to the cheek, letting him embrace me a little longer than customary before he leaves the temple with the machina on his hover. When I can no longer see him in the distance, I turn around and squeal, counting the gil in my hand – an amount I haven't held for _months_, and immediately, a hundred wardrobe ideas flood my mind. But the excitement rapidly dies when I hear Gippal's voice as he walks down the stairs.

"Where's the machine?" his voice slow and firm.

I glance downward immediately. "I-I… Yuh-ah-um… sold it?"

He narrows his eye, his arms immediately in the air as he practically shouts, "_What?_" He gives me an angry glare, marching down the steps. "I could've added a number of upgrades on that thing and–-"

"You said you were going to melt it!" I squeak out.

"—could've added more features to it, replace the metal, and maybe I would've been able to sell it for _a good 3000_—"

My eyes instantly light up, and I burst out, "4500."

He stops and looks at me confusedly. "What?" He then glances down at my hand, immediately in disbelief. His jaw dropping and I smile 'cause I've never made his jaw drop before.

I quickly give him the money. "I sold it. For 4500. Not much repairing, I just got the lights working, that's all." The words come out proudly, confidently and I feel _good_. I feel useful. I feel like I deserve a pat on the back and _see Gippal? I'm a valuable asset to your Faction after all. _

He takes the money from my hand and scoffs. "What, you offered to fuck him?"

I don't know how to reply as I watch him leave down the hall.

* * *

_Thanks for reading. **Please Review.**_


	8. Black & Blue

A/N: Wow, **thank you so much for taking time to review!** You don't know how overjoyed I was to see such a jump in feedback and returned readers, and I appreciate every single one of your comments, thank you!

Many of you asked why Gippal is being such an ass. There is a reason for it, which I hope you'll get as you read the story, since I do not plan on directly stating it. Although, I _will_ say that it's hard for someone who's been at the top to suddenly fall, and be forced to praise someone he's looked down on throughout his life.

To Recap: _Gippal thinks he's done more than enough by offering Rikku residency and a daily wardrobe allowance, despite the fact that she never followed through with their agreement. But the money is little and the room is nothing special, leading Rikku to believe that he's just cheap. When she ends up selling a useless machine for a great 4500 gil, she eagerly tells Gippal. But instead of praise, he asks her if she "_offered to fuck" _the customer, leaving Rikku completely speechless._

* * *

**Djose Days**_  
_Ch. 8: Black & Blue

* * *

Gippal

It's all here, all 4500 gil right in my hands from a machine that I had considered junk. And yet she managed to sell it. _She_, the clumsy ditz from the same bloodline as Brother, knows how to negotiate with customers better than _me_.

I put the money into the safe, lock it, and close the drawer, locking it as well. It's certainly the most profit we've made on any product in months, especially considering the poor state the machine. And she'd sold it. Easily and quickly, in the same time it took me to shower, she sold it.

I should've thanked her.

Turning off the office lights, I shut the door behind me and head towards the kitchen, passing the residential rooms along the way, glancing to see if the gap underneath her door is lit. But it's not, and I decide that she has cried herself to sleep again.

She'd done some grocery shopping earlier, and there's still half a loaf of bread and some butter in the fridge. I take them out and make myself a small snack, tempted to eat the entire thing but I save a few slices for her. For a while, hoping that the food will somehow grab away my feelings of anxiety as it passes through my body, maybe the water will drown away the guilt. But it doesn't, and I don't know how I could've expected it to.

I decide she's probably hungry and take the few slices spread with butter, putting them on a small plate and walk back toward her room. I feel my way along the walls for a part of the time, the temple lighting too dark to guide me once I've passed Selyna's old room, and the rest is unfamiliar territory. I listen against her door before entering, the knob unlocked and I realize she probably isn't _furiously_ mad at me after all if she didn't lock it.

The first things I see are her arms, wrapped around her legs, and she's lying in a fetal position at the corner of her bed. I haven't given her any blankets or pillows yet, and the paleness of her skin highlights that fact.

I put the plate on her nightstand before stepping back and heading out the room again. Feeling that feeling she always makes me feel when I'm around her. The one that makes it seem as if everything that's ever gone wrong in her life is my fault, no matter what small role I played in it – because at the very least, I played a role. As if it's my duty to make sure that she's _happy_ while she stays here. That she's content and given the opportunity to 'rediscover herself' and search for 'a new purpose in life'.

But it's not my damn business if she's lost her Rikku-ness. Just like it's not her damn business I'm losing control over the Faction.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

When the door's closed and I'm sure he's headed down the hall, I open my eyes and scramble toward the nightstand, shoving the bread into my mouth, chewing and swallowing hungrily. The only thing I had all day was my disaster-turned-yummy-but-burnt stew, and I would've gone back into the kitchen much earlier if it weren't for Gippal's… comment.

I lick my fingertips of the butter when I'm finished, wiping them on tissue paper afterward. I want to grab my new toothbrush I bought, and go to the bathroom to ready for bed. But I _don't_ want to run into him. He's an ass and a half and I don't like him very much right now.

The thought of it makes me feel like crying again, and I suddenly feel terribly dehydrated. As I hold my legs close to reserve some warmth, I consider the idea of leaving Djose and Luca all together.

A knock at the door interrupts my thoughts.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

Heat rises, so the top floors of a building are always warmer than those below it. And that is why, I decide, that I can't sleep. My room is too warm for comfort… unlike Rikku's.

I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed, staring blankly at the ground and think about her again. I can't help the feeling. She's the only one aside from me in the temple, and the only one I can't stay in the same room with for even five minutes without arguing. It's just how it's always been. We've never been close or good buddies from our childhood years or stuff like that. We've known each other yeah, _You're Cid's kid_ and _You're Gippal_. And _You're a klutz_ and _You're annoying_. Not much has changed since then.

I wonder if I should go find her a blanket and a pillow, even though she's already fallen asleep. Even though she probably doesn't want to see me, have anything to do with me, cold or not.

I eventually get up and decide to bring down my own comforter (since I'm surely not going to use it). And I'll just drape it around her or something – don't want her getting sick and blaming me once more. I begin to carry it steadily out, straining my head to the side to watch my steps.

When I hear a shriek from the direction of her room, I throw the comforter on a nearby bench and run.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

The door bursts open and he comes flying in like Valefor's summoning (except without all the special effects and _anticipation_), but immediately trips over the little machina, smashing it into the ground with his torso, as his head lands in the soft cushion of my shopping bags. I cover my mouth to stop myself from giggling.

Serves him right for rampaging into my room like that, as if the fact that it's _my_ room still doesn't override his almighty command over everything and everybody in this temple. But I hadn't wanted the machina to get hurt in the process. That is something I feel bad for.

Climbing down from my bed, I wait for the machina to crawl out from under him and stumble back toward me, disorientated and convulsing as it rests against my arms. I rock it gently back and forth, soothing it with soft whispers until Gippal pulls himself off the ground and stares at me, irritated.

"What happened? Why were you screaming?"

I'm surprised, his concern for me making me have that bit of a soft spot for him again. And I can easily explain that it had been the machina that had suddenly jumped out when I opened the door, poking me and giving me a start. But I'm mad at him, so I turn away and don't answer.

"Hey, Kid. Did you hear me?" He sits up and pushes my shoulder. "Hey."

I move away and lean against my nightstand, petting the machina quietly. Completely ignoring him. Not listening to his persistent calls to my attention, waiting until he does something drastic. Like apologize maybe. Like say _Sorry Rikku, I'm an unforgiving bastard who's just mad 'cause I haven't gotten laid in weeks_. Like embrace me maybe. And hold my face and say I'm pretty and smart and mature and he respects me. But when I sneak a glance in his direction, I realize he's already left.

He always does that. He always leaves, because it's easier than facing me.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

She thinks she's cute with her little silent treatment and all. Thinks I owe her something, thinks I should be sorry. _I_ think I oughta throw her out. Go back to Besaid or Luca or Bikanel, wherever the hell you want, Kid. Because clearly, she and me ain't getting along. Clearly, if this arrangement continues, we'd be after each other's throats by the end of the week.

I make myself relaxed on the comforter, spread out on the temple floor and stare through the entrance at the evening sky. Bluish black with a moon that occasionally disappears behind the clouds. It reminds me of all those nights I'd spent camped out here waiting for her, and oh fuck, what a waste of time that was. Now, all I can think about is having this temple to myself again.

She'd help the Faction's financial situation, that's no doubt. If she continues doing whatever she does to sell our crap, we'll surely be able to slowly crawl out of debt. It's the '_doing whatever she does_' part that bothers me. The part where she does certain favours to every male customer we get, and giving my Faction a reputation I don't want.

A pain in my side reminds me of my earlier invasion into her room, and I wish I hadn't bothered, hadn't heard her yelling and screaming because clearly, she was _fine_. That's Rikku for you, always has to get your attention one way or the other. And it's not like you ever ask her for _her_ attention on you.

I rest my hands on the back of my head, looking up at the ceiling at the dim lights flickering back and forth. Hoping they'll mesmerize me to sleep, and I am Rikku-free until morning. Because I've had enough of her, I really have. Ever since she came I've been jumpy and angry and really, I'd do much better without her.

Maybe tomorrow I'll give her that gil she earned for us. Give it all so she'll stop complaining and being stubborn. And then I'll ask her to leave.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

His office door is locked – which is quite insulting once you think about it. The fact that he doesn't even trust me. Because clearly, for some strange reason, there's only me and him and machina in this temple and yet he _still_ feels the need to _lock_ his office door.

I grab my bags off the floor and quietly walk out of the corridor, wondering if it's really worth it – sneaking into his bedroom while he's in there. I know I'm the best thief this side of Spira, but there's always the chance that he may wake up and catch me. And then what? I don't think I want to seduce him again.

I tip toe quietly, feeling my way along the walls and think about where else he may keep his money other than in his office and in his room. Maybe there's a secret safe somewhere, so I tap against the stone walls for any loose bricks just in case. I feel sort of bad I guess, but not _so_ bad because he's a jerk, he really is.

Besides, all I want is the 4500 gil. That's all, and I'll be happy and I'll leave. I'll never come back and he won't ever have to get annoyed with me, and there are no awkward goodbyes or stuff like that. I'll walk my way into town, and maybe I'll run into Auburn Boy, Grey-Eyes, or even the mailman and they'll offer to take me somewhere far, _far_ away. Kilika I think. I think I'll start a new life in Kilika.

My heart suddenly stops in three different places and I nearly fall back in surprise at the sight of Gippal in the main room of the temple. Lying down and asleep. And now I'm no longer worried about going up to his bedroom, but leaving out the front door is going to be quite a challenge with him blocking it like that.

I decide to think about that later, and first concentrate on grabbing the goods from his bedroom. I make my way quietly up the stairs and to his door, relived to find it unlocked, and rummage through drawers upon drawers for any wallet or box of cash. But all I end up finding are papers, envelopes, and more paper. Papers with numbers and big words all across the page that I don't bother trying to read in the darkness of the room.

I find his wallet though, in the pocket of one of his pants, pulling out a mere 400 gil – I guess he must've gone shopping somewhere earlier. I put the money into my shorts' pocket and check all his other pants for some loose change. I eventually come across an awfully familiar shirt. The puke-green shirt. The one that he had given me the first time I'd come here with the big box of machina scrap, the one that left me feeling giddy and playful at the thought of being his nightly mistress.

I don't know why it's still out in the room, and not washed and put back into his dresser. Maybe he's forgotten about it, seeing as it doesn't fit him that well, and just tossed it aside to rot. So I decide to take it with me by slipping it on.

After finding another 100 gil by his nightstand, I give up and walk out of his room and down the steps toward the main entrance again. I've stuffed my bags together to reduce their noise, and hopefully I can jump over him without him noticing. But I've already planned that if he suddenly wakes up and sees me leaving, I'm going to run. Run like a fugitive on the loose, I will run.

But there's a tiny problem once I've gotten close enough to him: I notice his shirt's a bit pulled up and I see his abdomen. And he has a _really_ nice abdomen, I'll admit, rock hard and tanned golden. It makes me stop a bit and kneel down next to him. And that's when I see a little red cut.

On his side, and it's small but it's there. A bit of dried blood and all around that area his skin's a bit flushed, as if it has just been scratched at, but not bled. As if it's going to bruise tomorrow. All black and blue.

The thought of bruises reminds me of my own, all over my arms and legs and side – but fading now. Bruises from being hit by the horde of rocks and falling on the stairs just yesterday night.

It's a funny coincidence I think, that _his_ bruise is going to be massive and maybe bring him down to his knees tomorrow, and _mine_ have healed quickly enough for me to get up and go again. Because that's the kind of person I am – get up and go no matter what stands in my way. And maybe he's the kind of person that falls and gives up easily. Maybe. Maybe because he's not eighteen anymore.

Suddenly, I feel something stab my butt, and I immediately glare at his hands but they're right in front of me and not moving. Turning around, I see the same crazy machina behind me, bouncing and its arms flailing as it continues to poke my butt. I push it away but it reaches up and grabs onto my hair, spinning the strands around its little metal fingers and yanking me off the comforter. I try not to scream because that'll make Gippal wake up. So I just follow it as I try to untangle my hair from its grasp.

When I've finally gotten it out, and the machina walks into a pedestal and dies, I notice a stack of envelopes at the corner of my eye. I suddenly remember the day when the machina had nearly gotten me in trouble when it sent the mail flying into the air. The mail that was behind the door and not properly shelved in his office somewhere.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I grab a random envelope just to see what's so special about it that he has to keep a mountain of them behind the door instead of in the garbage. The name on the envelope rings a bell, _Tye_, the man that I'd gotten the box of bolts and the box of machina parts from. Maybe Gippal does some business with him too, being the Machine Faction and all.

I'm not sure why, but I slip my hand into the ripped envelope anyway, pulling out a letter and not expecting anything particularly interesting (except maybe a few paper gil he might have forgotten to take out, and I'll gladly relive him of it of course) until I read the first line:

_Gippal, I'm still waiting for your payment on the last five orders… _

**- - - - -**

Gippal

I suddenly notice my chest feels heavy, feels warmer than before. And I'm forced to wake up, my hand impulsively reaching in the direction of my nightstand drawer for my gun. But there's nothing but air greeting my fingers, and that's when I remember that I'm on the temple floor.

And suddenly there's this _bush_ of blonde hair in front of me. Skinny arms wrapped around my torso and she's breathing softly with her head against my chest. Her legs draped on mine, almost as if holding me still. Keeping me grounded. Shielding me.

I try to push her off but she moans in protest so I stop before I wake her. I relax, tilting her head just slightly to see her serene, sleeping face, wondering what she's doing out here, from her room. And isn't she mad at me?

I decide not to question it too much for now, and reach up to rest my hand against the small of her back, caressing it gently. Liking how the pale green fabric feels smooth underneath my fingers, and her body warm against mine. Liking the way the moonlight hits her face and colours it a pale blue against the black backdrop of the dark temple room. And I guess -- I guess it's not her fault that she's irresistible. That I probably would've bought that crap machine for 4500 gil too if I were the guy, and all she'd have to do is look at me.

* * *

_Thanks for reading. **Please Review.**_


	9. Levelled Lives

A/N: **Thank you so much for your reviews!** They always give me a burst of inspiration to write, but unfortunately, I've um. Been easily distracted and lazy and sad lately, and you can tell this chapter suffers because of it. Luckily, cupcakegirl beta'ed for me, but I really don't think I followed her suggestions right (winces). And I'll admit, I'm just tired of looking this chapter over. Hopefully, it won't be a painful experience for you guys to read this, and I sincerely apologize and accept all criticism if it is.

To Recap: _Rikku, still upset about Gippal's comment, finally decides she has had enough and wants to leave. But on her way out, she stumbles upon his stack of envelopes and discovers that the Faction is in debt. Gippal wakes up in the middle of the night to find her sleeping next to him, and wonders if it's fair that he constantly makes assumptions about her based on her appearance._

* * *

**Djose Days  
**Ch. 9: Levelled Lives

* * *

Rikku

I wake up first, finding myself buried underneath his weight, the scratchy feel of his unshaven jaw against my skin, his strong limbs perfectly caging me in, and I certainly don't feel cold anymore. Instead, there's a small smile on my lips, and I slowly wriggle out of his grasp, holding his head slightly as I move so it doesn't just suddenly drop on the ground.

When I'm finally able to sit up, I look back down at him, and I can't help but run my fingers through his puffy blonde bed-hair. It makes me giggle a bit because even in his sleep he looks like a _jackass_, that sort of snarl on his face and the way that he snores.

Suddenly I don't hate him as much as before. And I don't want to start a new life in Kilika anymore. I feel bad for him, and pity him for trying to put up such a strong front when really, it's only _me_ around here that he's got to impress.

I understand now why I don't see many workers here, if any. That the crewmen I met last week are probably all he's able to keep. And I suddenly feel guilty for trying to steal from him earlier, the wallet and the pocket money. Because he's no better than me now; we're just two bankrupted Al Bhed. And that thought gives me a sort of confidence. That I can speak to him more boldly now. Now that we're on the same level.

I sigh and glance lazily around the room, piles of metal scraps here and there, lightning jumping up and down the stone walls as if in a losing battle to shock the temple back to life. And everything around here looks dead and broken. Given up and ready to be sold to the next world famous Al Bhed business man. But perhaps _I _can do something about it…

He stirs a little in his sleep and I smile. Suddenly wanting to crawl up against him and hide underneath his arms. Wanting to _thank_ him for being in _debt_ because I have a purpose now. And I can help him, and Pops will watch me bring a fallen faction back on its feet in supreme _glory_.

But I haven't decided yet if I will tell Gippal that I know about him and his situation. It'll be quite a blow to his ego. And besides, it'll be much more amusing to see to what lengths he'll go to try and keep up his front.

I eventually stand up, a tingly thrill bursting inside of me as a million thoughts fill my head of my future here at the temple. I'll clean up and suit up and work really hard today. Work really hard and he'll notice. He'll notice and maybe he'll thank me.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

After my days in the squad, I usually don't wake up because of explosions anymore. But today I do, and it's a bit more startling than I remember. The whole temple shaking as if a slight earthquake, and I scramble to my feet, immediately falling to my knees when my mind swerves from the sudden rush of blood and my side stings.

I stop for a moment to regain my composure, pulling up my shirt a bit and see a dark bruise around the place where I had fallen on Nooj yesterday. Groaning, I steadily stand up and walk in the direction I figure to be the source of the explosion, clutching my side.

I find none other than Rikku, covered in grease and grime from head to toe, her hair fried like a mad scientist underneath her helmet, and she's coughing in the midst of the smoke. Her uniform showing signs of burns, overalls nearly falling apart, but there's a look of determination in her eyes. The way she gets right back up and jumps straight into the large machine, eagerly throwing pieces out and screwing new ones into place.

She doesn't notice me, and I don't try to make myself noticed either. If she thinks she can fix that piece of junk without anybody's help, then fine. If she thinks she's a better mechanic than me, then whatever. It's always a competition with her no matter what we do, and I'm tired of getting into arguments with her about it.

I head back out to the main room and gather up the comforter, throwing it on a nearby bench to wash later. I then head upstairs to my room for a quick shower, wondering if I'll hear her explosions even under the spray of water.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I glance at the clock on the wall, realizing with a start that it's almost 4 in the afternoon, and I've been working on this thing on my own for nearly seven hours now without anything to eat. I pause for a moment to feel my stomach, listening for a grumble or strange noise. Waiting for hunger pains to arise but nothing happens. I guess I've grown used to not eating much.

But I feel a bit woozy, that I'll admit, but not_ that_ woozy that I need a break. I still have tons of energy left, and it's hard to stop working on a project when you know you're _so close_ to being finished.

In truth, I hadn't even known what I was doing when I first started. The machina looked like it was an ancient war machina, and quite a powerful one at that. And yet, somehow I've managed to turn it into a walking transport vehicle. I say 'walking' because it doesn't ride smoothly like a normal hover would, and instead uses its arms and legs to 'walk' to its destination, giving it the advantage of being able to scale large heights. The only problem with it is that it occasionally stops working, and I can only hope it won't take another seven hours to figure out why.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

I take out about 4000 gil from my safe, the money from Rikku's sale yesterday, and put it in my pants' pocket. I plan to buy some new tools, and perhaps ask around if anybody needs an immediate hover check-up or repair. The thought of going into town and leaving Rikku behind doesn't bother me. She hasn't even tried to look for me all morning and I doubt a few hours will change anything.

I decide that I should probably do a bit of grocery shopping while I'm in town. Perhaps this time, we'll try _beef-flavoured_ noodle soup. The crew's getting tired of the vegetarian one. And maybe I'll stop by Tye's and pay him for last month's order at the least.

I pull on my gloves and make a slow fist to stretch out the fabric. Smoothing down my clothes and checking my hair. It's been a while since I've gone into town on my hover, and it feels sort of nice to leave the temple – even if it's just for a little while.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

My tongue is all the way out to the side of my mouth now, and my teeth biting down on it as I peer with one eye to precisely melt the assembly into place. I pull back with an enormous sigh of relief and rush of pride when it's complete, and I step away to take in the beauty of it all.

I take off my helmet and shake some air into my hair. My head moist and gross with sweat and grime. I take off the rubber gloves and lay them next to my helmet on the ground, unbuckling a strap of the overalls to help cool at least a part of my body.

I wonder if I should inform Gippal of the machina's total restoration, done _independently_ and wonderfully well by me. But I'm unsure of his reaction, and I'm not going to make the same mistake of assuming he'll praise me.

I head to the washroom and dip my head into the sink, rinsing my hair with the water from the facet, actually appreciating the fact that it's icy cold. But when I flip my head back up, I suddenly fall back against the wall, the room spinning and I feel as if I'm going to throw up. I don't though, but I feel like it. And it's not a very pleasant sensation especially when I know I've got nothing in my stomach _to_ throw up.

After blinking the dizziness out of my mind a few times, I return to the sink and clean my face, wiping it with tissues and grimacing when I notice how black the tissue becomes. I finally leave the bathroom and decide that I should probably say something to Gippal; I haven't spoken to him all morning and I think – oh, just _maybe!_ – he'll be impressed with what I've done. I know _I_ would, if I were him, and in charge of a totally broke faction.

When I reach the main room, I'm startled to see two Al Bhed men standing in the center, amused by the crazy, convulsing machina in front of them, spontaneously dying and reviving it self every few seconds.

I quickly comb my fingers through my hair and smooth it down around my neck. This is my chance I think, and I might as well try to sell the walking hover machina I just fixed. I'm sure Gippal'd rather see money than new and improved machina anyway.

I clear my throat and lean my head to the side cutely. "Hey, would you two _fine_ gentlemen be interested in a new hover?"

They look up, pausing slightly before nodding and smiling, and that's when I know I've got them wrapped around my finger.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

By evening, I've finished all my errands: I've paid Tye for the two assemblies I bought from him the other month, went elsewhere to buy a used chainsaw that is still in fairly good condition, and got a new box of beef-flavoured _cup-of-noodles_ from the local supermarket.

I end up having just about 40 gil left over, and then 240 gil when I run into a man and his broken hover. I'm tempted to spend the money on a decent dinner at a modest restaurant, but then feel stupid because I could've just had a _free_ one from Rikku the other day. And instead, I dumped it in the trash without a second thought.

I'm about to leave, the streetlights starting to come on and shops pulling out their 'Closed' signs, when I pass by a small boutique and my gaze stops on a blonde, frizzle haired mannequin. I smile a bit because it reminds me of a certain explosion this morning – the mad scientist hair and all. Except, instead of a crisply burnt pair of overalls, the mannequin is wearing a smooth, knee-length summer dress. A sky-blue one, with small, white flower patterns on the side, and spaghetti straps that hang the front of the dress just low enough to reveal a hint of cleavage. It's sexy and sweet at the same time, and I decide to park my hover for a bit to look inside.

The wind-chimes ring when I enter, the shopkeeper looking up from her spot behind the counter and raising her eyebrow upon seeing me. I suddenly feel uncomfortable, noticing the few women in the store and I'm the only male. So I turn away and pretend that I'd stepped into the wrong shop and was actually looking for a manly, gritty, hardware store, when the shopkeeper calls out, "Can I help you with anything?"

She's pretty – not fantastically drop dead gorgeous or anything, but she's pretty. And that makes me stay a little while longer, my eye looking back to the window at the blue summer dress. I point to it. "How much can you give me for that?"

She smiles politely. "500 gil."

I shake my head instantly, blurting out, "That's too much."

"Not really," she replies, stepping out and walking toward me. "It came all the way from Besaid, and there's a necklace that goes with it." She smiles again when she's beside me, her hand on my arm and running down lightly. "But since you're cute, I guess I can give it to you for 450 gil."

I _don't_ _have_ 450 gil, and I'm not sure if I'm willing to pay even 10 gil for an item that'll be of no use to me or the Faction. "How about 90 gil?"

She laughs wholeheartedly, placing a hand to her chest and forcing out an amused smile, as the rest of the shop turns to look at us. "I think that's a bit ridiculous, sir." Then, she adds in a low hiss, "That's over 80 percent off."

I smile back instead, as charmingly as I can, touching her hand gently. "It's for my mother, you see. She's sick – almost dead, really. And as her dying wish, she asked me to buy her this dress. Besides-" I run my thumb along the edges of her face. "I'm sure I'm not costing you your business; a pretty face like yours must attract men like me into the shop everyday."

She bites her lip, glancing down, flushed. "I'm sorry, for your mother and all. But the lowest price I can give you for that dress is 400. Really, I – I can't go a gil lower than that."

I pull her close to my ear, brushing my mouth just past her cheeks and whisper, "How about, 240 gil – that way, I'll still have enough to take you out to dinner, yeah?"

Her eyes grow wide with excitement but she tones it down quickly, shaking her head shyly. "I-I can't… I'm sorry. But-" She glances down with flushed cheeks. "-I'll um, take you up on that dinner offer though. I – I can even pay too if you want."

I step back, releasing her. Scoffing a little and turning around to head out the door, mumbling, "Forget it." Because I feel cheap, stooping down and doing _exactly_ what Rikku does to get something I want – and I don't even _want_ it. It's just a stupid dress anyway.

When I'm out the door, I head back to my hover and warm up the engine. But while I wait, my gaze eventually falls back on the blue dress in the window and suddenly I feel an overwhelming sense of… frustration. It's a stupid dress and an ugly dress, and I don't even know why I want it. For an annoying brat and her annoying habits, and blue looks terrible on her anyway.

But I realize after a while that maybe my problem isn't _why_ I want to get the dress. Instead, maybe it's because even if I did want to get it, I can't afford it anyway.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

My fingers are trembling as I put the money down on his nightstand, my stomach _really_ twisting into a knot now and I have to bend over as I walk. Luckily it started hurting _after_ I'd demonstrated to the men how the walking hover worked, and had managed to convince them to buy it for a hefty 9999 gil (I promised them a full year guarantee and personalized repairs done by myself if it breaks down).

I don't know why it started hurting – one moment I was all giddy and excited as I counted the money, and the next I was gripping onto the staircase to stop myself from collapsing in pain. My headache returned as well – not that it ever left, but it has increased within the last half hour to the point where I don't even want to turn my head to the side because it'll make me dizzy.

Suddenly, my hand clamps over my mouth as I feel an upsurge of _something_ headed up my throat and I impulsively swallow it down with a grimace. Not liking the feeling at all. Spotting his personal bathroom off to the side of his room, I walk toward it. Maybe I'll just splash some cool water on my face and wake myself up from my headache. And then go downstairs to the kitchen to grab something to eat so I can calm my stomach down before going once more around the temple to look for him. I had already tried the last couple of minutes but he was no where in sight, so I decided to leave the money in his room for the time being, where he's sure to see it and wonder about it and think about me.

But two seconds later, I'm gripping onto the sides of his toilet, violently hurling out mouthful after mouthful of stomach acid and bits of yesterday's meal. Down on my knees and my knuckles turning white as each heave leaves my head sinking lower and lower, and my feeling of independence goes down with it. That I can't take care of myself, and I can't do things on my own. That I'm always gonna need somebody to watch over me and tell me what to do. And as I try to get my father's all-knowing glare out of my head, I silently beg that Gippal doesn't find me like this.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

The ride home isn't as thrilling as the ride into town. Going back to the temple and knowing that I'll probably shower and then sleep because my crew's not coming back until Friday, and I'm getting tired of fixing things that just end up being a waste of time anyway.

I start to wonder how my life would be different if I sell the Faction and take my money and go to Kilika – instead of Luca – with Ma and Pa and… I don't know, fish or something for the rest of my life. I can catch the fish and Ma can make 10 different meals with it and Pa can complain about it being too salty or undercooked. It'd be like a family thing, and at least I'll never regret not spending enough time with them. And who knows, maybe I'll get back in touch with Selyna there. And we can start our own fishing company and make loads of cash and –

Selyna's a vegetarian. Right. Forget that idea. Maybe we'll grow vegetables instead, Selyna and me. We can buy a plot of land with the money I get from Tye and plant seeds and grow cabbages. Then, we'll sell the cabbage. Perhaps, even make cabbage soup or cabbage pie and sell that as well. And I'll build us a house right in the middle of it all where our kids can grow up and we'll home-school them so it's like, a family thing and –

I feel stupid, thinking about such things. Things that I never cared about or gave a second thought to when I was in my early years as the Machine Faction leader and just having fun with it. Never thought about settling down with a family and wife and kids, and it's just weird. _Just weird_ to be suddenly thinking about it _now_. But when you've lived nearly a year in debt and watching your Faction slowly crumble under your command, it helps to think about something else you _can_ have. Something new you can hold on to, take care of, and not screw up.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I wipe my mouth one last time before throwing the paper towel into the garbage, feeling much less nauseous but much more tired. As if my seven hours of working has finally caught up to me all at once, and I feel like collapsing into a bed _right now_.

I slowly walk out of the bathroom, turning off the light and wander through the darkness for a bit before reaching the hallway and heading back downstairs to my room. I decide I'll take a shower first at least, try that new shampoo I bought with the apple smell before hitting the bed.

The temple is quiet and I now think that Gippal's left a while ago, and just didn't bother telling me. Or maybe he _did_ tell me, but I hadn't heard because I was working on the machina. In either case, he's not here now. Which is a good thing, because I don't want him seeing me all pale and sickly. I don't want him seeing me all weak and useless.

**- - - - -**

Gippal

The temple doors are open when I step in, as they always are, and I unload everything off the hover, carrying it inside. I take the box of noodles into the kitchen and the chainsaw into one of the workrooms, listening but not hearing any hammers or drills. Instead, the soft sound of falling water assures me Rikku's in the bathroom.

I make my way upstairs because a shower seems like a good idea now too, and there'll probably be no more customers coming by for the rest of the night anyway.

I reach my bedroom and feel along the wall for the light switch, turning it on and lazily walking over to my drawer to grab my things. But as I head toward the bathroom, my eye catches sight of a stack – a _stack_ – of money sitting innocently on my nightstand.

I numb.

I have to blink a few times and glance away, very slowly bringing back my gaze to see if it's still, actually, truly, realistically, there. And it is. A stack of money in my bedroom. A stack that was not there before but is now, and the only way I can think that it got there is… Rikku. She must've sold something.

I suddenly feel angered at that thought, angered that she hadn't consulted with me first because it's _my_ Faction after all and _I'm_ the one in charge. And I feel like going downstairs and checking if there's a butt-naked male customer in her bedroom, and then kicking his sorry ass out of the temple because the Machine Faction doesn't _do_ business like that.

But then, there's the money. And I roughly count around 10000 gil. That means in two days, she's made me nearly 15000 gil. _15000_. That's more than my Faction has seen in the past _month_. And if she keeps this up, I can pay off my debts in a matter of weeks. I can go to the conference without worrying about people shoving cameras into my face, speculating of my Faction's finances. I can be debt-free and not have to live in a hut on a farm in Kilika. Thanks to this one-woman show.

I sigh, sitting on the edge of my bed and weighing the stack in my hand. Thinking about the last time she surprised me with a crazy sale like this, and how I responded. Realizing for the first time now, that as much as I hate to admit it, I'm lucky to have her on my side.

**- - - - -**

Rikku

I pull my T-shirt over my head, frowning when I look in the mirror and my face still seems tired and sickly, even after my shower. But at least I _feel_ a little bit better now. Although, quite cold, and I'm forced to rub my hands up and down my arms, trying to restore some warmth as I step out of the bathroom.

I start toward the kitchen, deciding that no matter whether or not I'm going to end up vomiting it out later, I should get _something_ solid into my stomach. Whether that be something junky or stale or tasteless.

I hear footsteps in front of me and I look up, jumping slightly when I see Gippal's figure coming out of the shadows and walking toward me, and I guess he must've just gotten back – and ooh _did he see the money yet?_ And ooh – _please don't yell at me. Please be happy._

He walks past me and I stare after him, watching as he makes his way to my room and opens the door, peeking inside. After a moment, he closes it and turns to look at me, a sort of conflicting expression on his face, as if he's struggling to smile. And it sort of scares me a little.

We hadn't seen each other all morning, and last night we were just fighting. And I don't know what to say because if he's seen the money and he's happy then we're not fighting anymore? And if he's seen the money and he's going to insult me again then we're _SO_ gonna have a talk about who's better than who exactly around here. And if he hasn't seen the money and still thinks I'm furious with him then –

All thoughts stop when I'm suddenly thrown into the air, and he's spinning me around and around, laughing wildly into my navel and I bend over, ticklish. His arms tightly and securely holding me, my legs wrapped around his torso to steady myself until he suddenly drops me, and my feet are back on the ground, my mind beginning to get woozy again.

But he doesn't realize, and he simply grins at me before chuckling lightly, making me laugh slightly too. And my breathing's a bit quick because all of this is making me desperately hopeful, because does this mean what I think it means?

"Thanks, Kid," he says, staring at me briefly, making me redden a little under his gaze, before he leans his head to the side and presses his mouth against mine. His hands firmly resting on my waist, grounding me so I don't trip.

* * *

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